Protect the Family
by Ughdar
Summary: Protect the family is the continuation of 'Baby on Board', taking place 18 years after the birth of Nick and Judy's kits, Leo and Marie. About to enter the adult world, Leo and Marie along with the rest of their police family must battle forces wishing to tear the family apart. Wounds will reemerge, while others hope to be healed.
1. Remember

Chapter One - Remember

"359 to dispatch, do you copy? Damn it, Clawhauser." Judy spoke in a hush tone as she knelt down behind a small cluster of wooden cargo crates. Breathing rapidly in what seemed to be a dense force of cold air hovering around her, Judy suddenly felt disoriented as her eyes struggled to focus clearly. Pressing her back firmly against one of the tall wooden crates, she steadies herself, as her ears continued to scan diligently along what seemed to be a deserted low lit warehouse. Exhaling slowly and deeply one final time, Judy slowly began shifting her weight along the right side of her body as she lowered herself into a prone position along the cold concrete floor.

Slowly inching her way to the edge of the crates using them as cover, her ears low against her back, she began to peer around, examining the surrounding interior. "Where are you, Nick?" Judy whispered silently to herself after a few moments, carefully continuing to scan with her eyes once more along the wide open interior. Raising her ears just slightly, Judy listened adamantly again for any movement or disturbances.

As fear began to slowly bite at the back of her neck, after nearly five minutes of seeing or hearing nothing, Judy could feel the cold air now pressing harder down on her. Slowly, she began to gently raise herself from her prone position along the concrete floor. Shifting her weight back along her legs and then feet as she rose, Judy's right paw, without being told to, began moving along the right side of her body, quickly withdrawing her sidearm as she returned back up to a kneeling position.

Suddenly, catching the first sight of any movement since finding herself huddled behind the shipping crates, Judy caught the tail end of a dark shadow moving deeper within the low lit area. "Nick, is that you?" Judy, still kneeling, listened as she griped harder on her sidearm.

Immediately, from the depths of the surrounding space, a thunderous gunshot suddenly erupted as Judy felt something fly pass her left cheek. Judy dropping to the floor, her eyes wide with fear, began turning frantically ahead of her, as she felt her heart pump faster and faster. "Judy, move…now!" she quickly told herself desperately, as her body simply crouched along the floor, frozen with fear. Scurrying low along the low lit warehouse, Judy listened as she began weaving along numerous objects and containers, stacked along the warehouse. Stopping near a small clearing, nestled unknowingly along the far side of the warehouse, Judy's eyes suddenly began to gaze into the distance at what appeared to be something or someone lying as if curled up along the concrete floor within the open clearing.

Slowly, cautiously, she began approaching the open clearing. It was at that moment Judy felt her heart suddenly stop cold, as her eyes, began to focus on a familiar long bushy red fur tail. "Oh no…Nick?" Judy, her mind now in total freefall, suddenly burst along the narrow and winding path leading to Nick, his body appearing motionless by the dim overhead light directly above him. As Judy circled the last of the remaining crates scattered along the path toward Nick, she suddenly emerged into the center of the clearing. Standing there, her face showing both exhaustion and fear, she felt a sudden chill slowly come over her, causing her fur to rise along her neck. Nick's body, which was lying on the floor moments before, was gone. "Nick!" Judy called out desperately, as she approached the exact spot where she had seen Nick's body. Standing there, as she turned in a circle with her mouth open, as she breathed uncontrollably in small short bursts, Judy felt herself spiraling out of control. "Nick…where are you?"

It was then at that moment, somebody waiting patiently in the wings of the darkness, let out a slow whispering echo that seemed to reverberate louder as it called to her, "Ju…dy."

"Hello? Who is here?" Judy called out into the darkness as she continued to turn in a circle, searching for whoever was calling her. "Where is Nick?"

"Tick…tock...tick...tock." Judy heard the voice reply back.

"I know that voice." Judy told herself as the sinister voice continued to play over and over in her mind. Judy, her blood suddenly turning cold from within, turned around as she suddenly felt something or someone move behind her. Still breathing heavily, desperately continuing to scan around herself, Judy felt weak and exposed. "Nick, please where…?" she called out once more, her heart aching for him, before a small flash of light suddenly exploded close to her, followed by the sound of a gunshot.

Gasping unexpectedly, Judy felt the left side of her chest just above her breast burst into pain. Feeling herself collapsing, Judy could only watch as the warehouse slowly began to spin, as her body made contact with the concrete floor. Coughing, desperately trying to catch her breath, Judy clutched her upper left chest as she began to feel herself start to shake, blood beginning to saturate her uniform.

"Poor…sweet…Judy." The sinister voice slowly called out once more. "You have no idea what hell has been like for me."

Coughing, desperately trying to force air deep into her lungs, Judy called out, "What…do you want from me?"

Breathing slowly, the voice began to emit a deep laugh, becoming more and more audible as it seemed to draw nearer to Judy, "A life…for a life, Judith…Wilde."

"Where are you?" Judy shouted back, as small bits of blood began to spout from her mouth. Still gasping, trying desperately to take another deep breath, Judy raised her head slightly as she collected what little air she could muster at the moment and yelled out, "Coward!" Laying her head back down on the cold floor, she closed her eyes as sheer pain began to burn deep inside her. Struggling slowly to reopen her eyes once more, Judy noticed suddenly a pair of white haired feet standing just inches away from her as if they simply magically appeared. Struggling to raise her head up once more, Judy's eyes widened as she began to feel unquestionable fear began replacing the pain within her body. "But…how?" Judy said, simply unable to find the words to describe what was suddenly happing to her. "You…can't be…"

Standing over Judy's body, her coat once the color of pure white snow now stained and matted in what appeared to be dried blood, Natalya Specknoff grinned menacingly down at the fidgeting bunny at her feet. Natalya, withdrawing a small 9mm Beretta from behind her back, slowly pointed it down at Judy, pressing it to her head.

"Nick!" Judy struggled once more to call out as tears fell from her face.

"Nick can't help you now." Natalya replied back menacingly.

Bracing herself for the inevitable outcome, Judy suddenly closed her eyes as she heard the sharp echo of the Beretta's hammer being pulled and locked down. "Leo…Marie." Judy quickly whispered as she began, in what seemed to be her final moments, to picture her two children in her mind, both of them laughing as they ran through the house being chased by Nick. "I love you…so much, I'm sorry."

Natalya, leaning down slightly, whispered into Judy's left ear. "Do not worry about them Judith, I will see them all soon." Judy, opening her eyes rapidly at these words, suddenly felt the click of the gun's trigger as it was quickly pulled, a giant burst of bright light suddenly engulfing Judy's vision, quickly followed by impenetrable darkness.

"Commander Wilde!"

Raising her head all of a sudden from the back of a leather bound chair, hyperventilating, Judy rapidly began gazing around at her surroundings as she let out short uncontrollable scream as she felt cold air enter her lungs. Jumping quickly from her chair, Judy began to stumble as her feet made contact with the soft carpeted floor, causing her to catch herself from hitting a dark oak desk in front of her.

"Commander, are you alright?" A short gray ewe wearing police blues asked worryingly as she gazing up at Judy who suddenly began shaking violently.

"Where is she?" Judy began calling out as she continued to steady herself, still breathing heavily as she quickly gasped at the pain in her left chest. "Natalya…where is she?"

"Commander, who are you talking about?" The ewe said, now beginning to feel frightened as she jumped back from the large desk. "It's just you and I here commander." The ewe said quickly glancing over her shoulder and around the office before returning her gaze back toward Judy.

Pulling on the white officer's shirt she was wearing with her right paw, Judy quickly opened it, exposing her small black sports bra she was wearing. Gazing down, her eyes stared fixedly at a rather old scar still visible through a mixture of now light gray fur mixed with white, just above her left breast. Judy, glancing up and around the room, felt herself slowly begin to calm down, as images from her dream continued to swirl in and out her mind for nearly ten minutes. Covering up her scar as she refastened her shirt, Judy began to grasp her upper left chest with her left paw as she suddenly collapsed in her chair, taking slow deep breaths.

Ethel, quickly dropping her day planner on the ground, noticed Judy collapse into her chair and rushed quickly back to the desk. Reaching desperately for the phone receiver, Ethel began dialing quickly on the phone keypad. "Hello…hello…this is Officer Shanks…we have a medical alert in Commander Wilde's office…."

"Ethel, no, please I am alright." Judy shouted back to Ethel, her eyes quickly enlarging, as she extended a paw. "Give me the phone… please, Ethel."

Ethel, shaking slightly, slowly handed the receiver over to Judy's outstretched paw, before quickly retreating from the desk, picking up her fallen planner.

Taking a deep, long breath, Judy raised the phone up to herself "This is Commander Wilde, cancel that call, everything is completely alright here." After a few minutes, assuring the person on the other end of the line, Judy set the phone back down and slowly leaned back into her chair as she began massaging her left upper chest.

"I'm sorry commander, I was just…I panicked and...I am truly sorry." Ethel, her head hanging low simply stood there, unable to think of what to say as tears began to fall from her own eyes.

Judy, wiping her eyes lightly on the back of her paw looked at Ethel. "No, it's alright, Ethel, it was my fault. "I'm…sorry, Ethel. I just…" Judy replied back as she looked toward the gray ewe. I just...it was as if it happened all over again."

"What happened?" Ethel asked back. "Who is Natalya?"

"It's nothing, Ethel, don't worry, I am sorry I frightened you like that. Was there something you needed from me or to talk to me about?"

"What? Oh yes, sorry, I forgot." Ethel said, opening her day planner "I just wanted to go over your schedule with you before I left for the day." Turning a few pages, Ethel slowly began reading her notes. "I verified your meeting in the morning with Chief Higgins' assistant. Chief has requested all senior officers meet upstairs in the headquarters conference room. Also, tomorrow at eleven you have your weekly a press conference. If the morning meeting runs late I will notify and update the press corp. of your status. Your notes for the press are in the email I sent you, under the title 'press'. And lastly, you had two phone calls come through." Closing her day planner Ethel walked up once more to the desk and set two slips of paper down on it. "One is from your daughter Marie. She seemed a little down when I spoke to her over the phone. The other was from Idris Bogo. He asked if he could have a few minutes of your time sometime this week." Ethel, reaching in the back of her planner withdrew a thick small card and handed it to Judy. "Oh, I forgot this also, Tabitha came by earlier and dropped off this invite to her daughter Mae's elementary graduation."

Holding up the invite card Judy felt a welcoming warm feeling come over her as she began reading the small piece of heavy paper.

Please join us for the graduation of  
Mae Sophia Wolford  
daughter of Greg & Tabitha Wolford

Class of 2033  
Darwin Primary Academy

"How the years seemed to be flying by, Ethel. Little Mae is about to start junior high and Leo and Marie are graduating high school." Judy said softly, setting down the invite. Leaning forward and grabbing the two phone slips, she quickly examined them. "I can guess what Marie is calling about. She still has not heard back from any of the colleges she has applied for." Judy said, letting out a sorrowful sigh. "But I wonder way Bogo needs to talk to me?" Judy said softly examining the small piece of paper. "I sometimes think retirement is not suiting Bogo very well. Thanks, Ethel, you can go home now."

"Thank you Commander." Ethel said as she turned to head back to her desk outside of office. "Are you sure you don't need me to say a little longer? I don't mind" Ethel asked, still worried as she glanced back at Judy.

"No Ethel, I will be just fine, thank you for asking." Judy relied, smiling back at the ewe. "Go home and be with your family."

Leaning back once more in her chair, Judy smiled back once more as she waved goodnight to Ethel through her glass office door. Reaching back across her desk toward her desk phone, Judy picked up the receiver and began dialing. Listening as the line continued to ring for a couple of seconds, Judy hung up the phone and quickly began dialing a second number. "Precinct Three, Homicide, Sargent Hindquarter." A male voice suddenly answered as the line was picked up.

"Hi Joseph, is Captain Wilde there?" Judy spoke through the phone.

"No Judy…I mean Commander, he is not. He left a little bit ago. Should I take a message?" Hindquarter replied back, his voice slightly nervous.

"Do you know where he went?" Judy asked suddenly beginning to feel worried.

"No Commander, I do not. He didn't seem like himself today. I asked him if he was alright, but he just walked out of the squad room. Said he had to see someone." After a short pause, Hindquarter spoke once more. "Is everything alright?"

"Thank you Joseph, yes everything is alright, goodnight." Judy replied back as she lowered the receiver back down. Thinking for a short moment, Judy suddenly reached for her left bottom drawer. As the drawer slide out, on top of a mangled pile of odds and ends, Judy withdrew her personal cell phone, lying next to her old service sidearm. Pushing back her chair, Judy quickly turned on the old cell phone as she lowered herself down and slowly walked toward a small sofa positioned along her office wall. Glancing down at her phone as she sat down on the sofa's stiff seat cushions, Judy simply sat there stare back at a color picture on the phone's screensaver. The photo, taken nearly ten years ago, during a family vacation showed the faces of Nick, Leo and Marie huddled together as they waved to the camera. "My sweet babies." Judy whispered softly as she ran a paw finger slowly down along the phone. "Why did you two have to grow up so fast?" Swiping the picture, unlocking her phone, Judy quickly began to dial. "Nick, please pick up." Judy thought as she felt each ring of the phone pulse in her heart.

"This is Nick I am unable to pick up the phone at the moment, but…"

"Damn it" Judy said quickly as she pressed her phone once more, tossing it down on a side table next to her. Leaning her head against one of the sofas arms Judy turned and began to gaze along the soft light blue wall to her left. Hanging along the entire length of the wall were photographs of family and friends, along with numerous awards and commendations from the many years of faithful service. But what she stared at more than anything were two pictures frames next to one another, positioned near the center. One rather large photo, showed a rather large cape buffalo and her standing together, both of them dressed in their dress police uniforms. Judy felt herself remembering that day in her mind; she had just received the rank of Captain. Vividly, she watched Bogo proudly approach her during the ceremony, his hoofs, she recalled, were shacking so bad when he pinned her captain bars on her. The second photograph, much smaller and older than the first one, with heavy signs of age, showed a rather tall young red fox and herself. Wearing their police gear, the red fox, Judy giggled slightly as she stare at the picture, was wearing his dark shades. Both of them, one arm wrapped around the back of the other, both were smiling widely as they stood outside police headquarters.

"Judy? Are you staying late tonight?" A deep male voice suddenly called out from just beyond Judy's office door.

"Chief…I…no I'm not." Judy suddenly stuttered, raising her head, quickly glanced toward the doorway. "I was just planning on leaving myself."

"Is everything alright?" The purplish-gray hippo asked as he entered Judy's office, stopping near her desk. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"No I'm fine, Chief. I just was…just lost for a moment, thinking back on the past." Judy replied back as she got up and began making her way back to her desk, collecting a few papers from her desk.

"Judy, we all still can remember those days when Bogo was Chief here. But unlike my predecessor, I do care, especially for those who I care for under my charge. If you need to talk, you know where I am, just remember that." Higgins smiled back at Judy as he turned to leave. "Now, if you will excuse me, if I stay here any longer Mary Ann will have my thick ass if I don't get home soon. Give Nick my best when you see him. I miss that shifty fox."

"Thanks Chief, give Mary Ann my best also." Judy smiled back as she watched Higgins turn and head down the long hallway.

"You should see just how much Leo as grown since last year, mom. He reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age." Nick smiled as he face lit up at the thought of his son. "Oh, I never got around telling you, the last time I came to visit. I think Leo put in his application to the academy last year. A few months ago I got a phone call from his godfather, old buffalo butt. Bogo said he got a phone call from the administration department at the academy. Apparently Leo put Bogo down as a reference. When they saw Bogo's name, they called to verify its authenticity.

"Oh my word, is the world, let alone the city, really ready for another male Wilde loose on them?" A soft loving voice called back as the hem of a dark colored dress moved past Nick's eye line. "How is my little granddaughter? Is she living up to her name sake?"

"Marie, she is driving herself mad with all this talk of medical school." Nick laughed slightly as he adjusted his left leg as he sat alone along the small grassy area under an aged dogwood tree. "Every time I look at her now I can't help but see you in her eyes, mom." Raising his head, he closed his eyes as he felt the soft autumn breeze brush pass his cheek as if a soft paw brushed past him. Gazing up toward the light red leaves along the tree, Nick watched as a few of its leaves suddenly broke free from one of the light branches. "It looks like autumn is going to be cold this year. Remember that one year when I was a little kit and you kept calling me into the house. I stayed out there so late, in cold air, it seemed to burn in me as I crawled and ran through the leaves."

"Yes I do. I also remember you waking up that next day with a very bad cold." Marie laughing slightly continued to stare at her son. "You were as stubborn as your father was in his youth." Nick, turning back to his mother, smiled happily back at her. Marie, turning her attention to the aged tree, walked slowly up to it as she leaned her back up against it. "It was the only regret I had, Nicholas, your father not being around for you. The time both of you could have had." Marie lowered her head for a short moment before raising it once more. "Now Nicholas, you have not told me anything about Judy? How is she?" Marie asked as she slid herself down along the grass next to Nick.

"She is doing well. I think the thought of Leo and Marie leaving home soon has her feeling a little sad and nervous." Nick replied back as he slowly stood up. "I am worried though a little about her. I got word last week from Greg Wolford at headquarters. Natalya's half-sister, Anna Russak, is scheduled to be released from prison in a few weeks. I just have this strange feeling when Judy hears this news, the trauma and all the nightmares she went through all those years ago during the trial, I don't know if she can handle it a second time.

"Speaking as a former mother Nicholas, she will need you more than ever during this huge life change with the children." Marie smiled as she remained seated, reaching out with her gray paw towards Nick's. "You and Judy have done such a wonderful job raising my grandchildren, Nick. You have kept them safe, made them proud and showed the world how special they are, being of two species. I could not be any more proud of you and Judy then I am now. As for this Anna, I know you will do whatever it takes to keep Judy and your children safe, Nicholas.

"Thanks mom." A few tears slowly began to fall from Nick's eyes as he continued to stand under the dogwood tree, his head bowed. "I better get going mom. If I know Judy she will be worried about where I am." Sniffing slightly, Nick smiled as he looked up once more toward some of the low lying branches swaying in the late afternoon sun. Taking a few steps forward, Nick bent down and softly kissed the top of a white granite marker next to the dogwood tree. Taking a step back, Nick simply stared down at it, his right paw holding tight to it, not wanting to let it go. Finally releasing his paw from the marker, Nick closed his eyes as he still remembered with a heavy heart standing here nearly eighteen years ago. "I love you, mom." Nick whispered, opening his eyes once more, glancing at the marker.

In loving Memory  
Beloved Mother  
 ** _Marie (Riverton) Wilde_**  
B: Oct 2, 1961  
D: Jun 11, 2016

 _"_ _Death leaves a heartache no mammal can fully heal from.  
But love leaves a memory no one can ever steal."_

Walking back to an unmarked police cruiser and unlocking the drivers' side door, Nick's eyes glanced one last time toward the white granite marker as it sat underneath the aged tree. Raising his paw up one final time, he waved goodbye before dropping into the driver side seat. As the police cruiser began to pull off along the long winding path, the soft autumn breeze brushed along the neatly manicured lawn. It was at that moment a shadow suddenly began to appear at Marie Wilde's marker. As the wind continued to brush along the grass, a thin dark brownish gray paw lightly touched the marker.


	2. Love and Vengeance

Chapter Two – Love and Vengeance

 _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_

"Marie…Leo, I'm home." Walking into the house's light yellow walled foyer, Judy slowly closed the front door as she sat her briefcase down on the entryway's white hall bench located along the foyer wall leading to the staircase. Even after nearly 10 years since Judy and Nick bought the house, Judy still felt the wonder the house gave her each time she came home to it. What still shocks her even more was the how little it cost to purchase. The house, being vacant for nearly two years prior to them placing a bid on it, showed great future potential and with distance to both school and work was far too good to pass on. Judy quickly remembered the old apartment her and Nick got together just after marrying, a three bedroom and one bath, as she stood in the foyer. Adequate enough at first, but raising two small kits, it quickly started developing into a complete nightmare as they both started to grow.

Quickly glancing around at her surroundings, she raised her ears slightly, listening for any movement upstairs. "Leo? Marie?" She called out once more as she glanced up along the long white banister leading to the second floor. Taking a deep long breath, her eyes suddenly fell on, for what seem by now countless times, pieces of discarded sandpaper, a tool bag, and to her own disbelief as her eyes continued to move along the foyer, tools and painting supplies scattered everywhere along the floor. "What a mess." Judy spoke outload as she closed her eyes, shaking her head. "How…no Judy…better yet, what made you even agree to let Nick renovate the foyer and dining room, at the same time by himself?" Stepping lightly, trying not to step on the countless objects along her recent newly laid foyer stone laminate flooring, she walked through the threshold leading into the completely dismantled dining room. Her aged violet eyes slowly began examining the floor and walls and she quickly stopped at the horror which stood in front of her. "Nick, I love you, you old sly fox, but this better be worth my beautiful dining room table being turned into a workman's bench."

"Mom, is that you down there?" A soft female voice suddenly called down from the second floor, as a pair of bronze colored fur feet began descending the stairs.

"Yes dear, I am just looking at your father's mess in the dining room once again." Judy replied back to her daughter as she turned back toward the foyer, her eyes quickly catching sight of Marie as she descended the staircase, wearing her usual home attire, Victoria Secret sweatpants and her Zootopia High t-shirt. Walking back into the foyer, her daughter Marie like her twin brother was now slightly taller than Judy. Marie's face, Judy seemed to notice more and more each day, was becoming so much like her late grandmother. Her slender features, a mixture of both fox and bunny, made Marie even more dazzling with her rather short muzzle and tail. "Is your brother home?" Judy asked as she approached Marie, stretching herself slightly up as she kissed her daughter on her cheek and embraced her.

"No, after school ended he told me before I was boarding the bus home that he was heading over to Dave's to meet up with the pack." Marie said as she slowly broke apart from her mother.

Rolling her eyes, Judy turned as she began walking into the small kitchen, located off the foyer, "That boy is defiantly your father's spawn. I mean, would it kill him to spend some time at home?" Marie smirked back at her mother as she turned to follow her into the kitchen. "I got your message this afternoon, Marie. I know you're worried about that college you applied for, but trust me, you just have to give it some more time." Judy opened the fridge and grabbed hold of a large bag of fresh vegetables. "Here, sweetie, mind helping me cut up some stuff for dinner?" Judy asked, handling the bag to Marie as she reached back into the fridge and removed some extra leftover sauce from the other night.

"Mom, really?" Marie lowered her eye slightly, simply staring back at her mother, the bag of celery and carrots clutched in her paw, as she felt another mother and daughter talk coming.

"What?" Judy replied back, trying to keep her voice sounding innocent. "Come on Marie, just cut up the celery and carrots. We don't have to talk about what's really bothering you if you don't want to." Placing a small sauce pan on the stove, Judy began empting the sauce into it as she turned the stove top on.

Grabbing the bag vegetables more firmly in her paw, Marie smiled slightly as she began walking to the small island in the center of the kitchen. Reaching into the open bag, she withdrew a small carrot, quickly taking a bit out of it, chewing it slowly. "I know mom…but I really want to go to St. Francis of Assisi Medical College." Grabbing a small cooking knife, Marie started slicing a stock of celery into slices. "It's just…last week Kim, from physics class, was going around showing everyone her acceptance letter. We both sent our applications to St. Francis at the same time." Marie's face, Judy noticed, suddenly fall as she dropped the knife down on cutting board. "Why is it she got her letter and not me? Why do I have to be so different mom? I mean look at Leo, his life after high school is going to be so easy. Everyone knows he will get into the ZPD academy after we graduate. He has been talking about it to all his friends since last year. I mean, come on." Marie turned to stare at her mother. "You and dad are the two most famous cops in all of the districts. But what about me mom, who am I? I'm just the weird nerd child of the great Wilde family. All I want is to make a difference in mammal's lives."

Giving the sauce a little stir, Judy walked over to Marie. Grabbing hold of the side of Maries face, Judy lowered Marie's face down to her, as she brushed Marie's ears with her other paw. "Honey, your father and I could not be any more proud then we are right now of you. With everything you and your brother have accomplished, and most of all with what you want to do with your life. Neither of you have ever let anything cloud your own paths. As for your bother, well let me tell you this from experience." Judy released Marie as she turned back to the stove. "If you think for one second he will have it easy during and after the academy, well then I am a hedgehog with lumbagos." Marie, letting out a small laugh, smiled back at her mom as she leaned to grab hold of her. "Besides, I really need you to become a doctor. I'll need you to bring your father back after I have killed him, if he does not finish this project of his soon."

"Thanks mom, don't worry I will." Marie, wrapping her arms around her mother, let out another small laugh like her mother, as she rested her head gently on top of her mother's head, inhaling and exhaling slowly, smelling her mother sweet fragrance. "I love you, mom."

Judy's ears, dropping low behind her head, felt the warm breath of her daughter as she felt her heart beat slowly. "I love you too honey." Judy simply let her head rest for just a moment on her daughter's chest. "But I have to say…I do miss those days when I was taller than my own children." Judy laughed as she raised her head slightly to her daughter. Kissing her gently on her muzzle and quickly wiping her eyes and then her daughter's with a free paw. It was at that moment both females suddenly noticed a figure suddenly standing idly by the threshold, his gray fur paws crossed.

"Why are all the females in this family so emotional?" Leo Wilde suddenly spoke outload as he stood along the threshold, leaning against the wall as both Judy and Marie turned to stare back at him. Uncrossing his gray fur paws, wearing a dark shirt with the rock group Hare Maiden written on it and jeans, Leo walked into the kitchen.

"Watch yourself young man." Judy, her voice slightly rising. "I still remember you as that little kit, sniffling and crying out loud on your first day of school in front of your entire class, crying for your father and me." Judy watched as her son passed between her and Marie, with a smug smirk he inherited from his father.

"Wow, touchy." Leo replied back. "You two just looked so darn…cute….all hugging and everything." Opening the fridge, Leo quickly reached into it, grabbing a bottle of water.

"Leo…James…Wilde!" Judy quickly called out, her hands suddenly dropping to her hip. "Keep it up young man and I swear I will have Tabitha release that video of hers of you. You know the one, the one of you when you were 4 years old streaking down the neighborhood sidewalk because you did not want to take a bath." Judy smiled as an idea came rushing into her mind. "I think she will be more than happy to, let's say, post it on your Pawbook page. I even think they would really enjoy it at the academy in a few months." Judy felt a quick sense of accomplishment as she watched as her sons jaw drop suddenly and turned back toward the slowly bubbling sauce.

"Hey…streaker…maybe I should ask Tabitha if I could have a copy." Marie jokingly said turning toward her brother. "My friend Susan…" Marie looked Leo straight into his eyes. "…who I know you have a crush for, would love to see it."

"Oh, hell no!" Leo shouted back in a shocked tone.

"Hey, language mister!" Judy replied back pointing a paw finger in the direction of Leo. "Now go put your school bag down and come back down to help with dinner."

"Is there room for a fourth Wilde in here?" Nick spoke suddenly as he slowly stepped through the threshold into the kitchen, Judy and his kids turning quickly around, each smiling back at him as he approached Judy, each calling back to him.

"Is everything alright, Nick?" Judy asked as she embraced Nick, giving him a kiss on the tip of his muzzle. "I called earlier and Hindquarter said you were not yourself, and left early. Where did you go?" Judy, looking into those aged emerald eyes, unexpectedly felt as a wave of loss came over her. "I know that look, Nick." Judy replied as she continued to watch Nick as he stood wordlessly next to the stove, his graying red fur paw raising to the pot on the stove and giving the sauce a final stir. "I thought we were going to see her together? Nick, she was very much a part of my life as she was to yours." Wrapping her arms slowly once more around Nick, Judy closed her eyes as she remembered her late mother-in-law, Marie's, spirit with her own that night at the hospital 18 years ago. "I miss you so much Marie." Judy whispered as she continued embracing Nick tightly as she felt Nicks paws enclose her, his head resting on hers.

 _Abandoned Subway Maintenance Room - Meadowland District_

In a poorly lit room, lighted only by two old and stained bronze colored floor lamps, a semi-conscious male cheetah by the name of Drake Grounder sat bound and hunched over. Taking very shallow breaths the cheetah resisted the urge to move his front paw wrists, positioned behind him, held tightly together by metal handcuffs. He could feel them begin to twitch slightly once again. His once tan and black spotted fur along his wrists was now rubbed raw, the skin around his restraints covered with dried blood due to the excessive rubbing from struggling and pain inflicted on him. Slowly taking another long needed breath, his chest erupted in pain, as he felt his lungs press against what felt like a broken rib. Raising his head up, resting it against the back of the chair, light from one of the nearby floor lamps illuminated a side of the cheetahs face. Turning his head, pressing his left side to the cool back of the chair, he slowly closed his eyes as he felt the fur along his cheek, matted and covered with dirt and dried blood from the cut just above his eye. Drifting in and out consciousness, Drake suddenly felt drool from the side of his mouth begin falling on his torn and blood stained t-shirt he was wearing. "Is anyone there? Please…anyone?" The echoing sound of his low cries only retuning, as they faded along the low lit room. "Why am I here?" He called once more as the pain to his lungs continued to reverberate within him.

From behind the restrained cheetah, a slow sudden shallow creek echoed along the walls of the room as a heavy door slowly opened followed by the sound of a light switch being pressed as the visitor plunged the room into sudden and complete darkness. Blinded for only a matter of seconds, the cheetah's natural night vision was becoming slightly hindered due to the amount of blood loss sustained by what one could only imagine as long term punishment. "I've told you everything I know!" The cheetah screamed out, his eyes desperately scanned his limited field of view. "I don't know anything about what is coming…please…you have to believe me." He called out yet again, his eyes starting to sting lightly as tears began falling from them.

"Drake…Drake, my old friend." A deep voice suddenly replied back from behind the cheetah. "Are you getting tired of our little reunion?"

Feeling someone approaching from behind him, Drake began to shake with fear as he saw something beginning to cover his eyes once again. "Please…not the blindfold again…please!" Drake screamed as he struggled with his captor. "Please…I just want to go. I promise, I won't tell anyone." Drake replied back, his head swiveling from left to right as he continued to search for any sight of the mammal speaking to him.

"Shut up!" the voice yelled out. Drake feeling his right side burst with pain suddenly gasped as he struggled to breathe once more from the force of a punch to his ribs.

"Now…let us go back to our conversation we were having earlier, shall we? What I want to know is…did…you…touch…her?" The voice said softly into the cheetah's ear. "You have admitted to me you were there with Natalya.

"No…I did not touch her I swear I don't. Natalya told Kenny and me to just make sure she did not escape." Drake, taking sallow breaths coughed slightly. We really did not have to do much, she was just some old vixen who…"

Drake suddenly felt his face erupt in pain as, out of pure rage exploding from his captor, as he felt sharp claws violently slashing across him. "That old vixen…was my mate…you piece of filth." Grabbing hold of Drake's throat the captor began pressing violently on Drake's airway as he began to struggle. Letting go of the cheetah's throat, taking a few steps back from him, the captor could be heard breathing deeply as his heart beat with rage as he called out a single name. "Marie."

Drake, gasping for air, dropped his head to his chest as he continued to draw desperately for more air. His captor, grabbing hold of his face once more, forced him to raise his face up once again. "Natalya killed her, I swear I did not touch her, I did not touch her, please believe me." Drake spoke rapidly as he continued to cry out.

"I believe you Drake." The voice suddenly said releasing the cheetah again. Extending a gray paw across Drake's shoulder, the captor rested it there, taping his claws against the back of his neck. "Well then, let us move to something new, shall we?" The voice said as his paw glided slowly down Drake's shoulder, Drake shuddering as he felt the paw lightly pat along it. "What did Natalya offer you that would make you kidnap a helpless pregnant bunny?" The voice said as it circled Drake.

"What pregnant bunny? I never…" Drake shook slightly, his mind beginning search desperately.

The captor swung around his victim, his right gray paw clutched tightly in a fist as it connected once more with the cheetah's face forcing the cheetah and the chair he was sitting on to topple over on to its side. Standing over Drake, the captor stood breathing harder and harder. "Do…not…lie…to…me…Drake!" He yelled kicking him all over his body with each word he spoke. "The bunny you ran into and kidnapped over 18 years ago, Drake, do you remember now?"

"Yes…yes, I do please…stop!" Drake screamed, as he cried desperately. "Anna, Natalya's half-sister, came to me and said I betrayed Natalya by talking to the police. She said she would kill me if I did not make it right." Drake said, gasping as his forearm throbbed in pain by the pressure the chair, now on its side, was putting on his arm and paw as he continued to lie on his side on the floor. "All I was to do was to collect her and bring her to Natalya, that's all I swear."

Bending down next to the cheetah the captor slowly leaned in close. Lifting the blindfold off Drake's eyes, the captor walked back along the back of the room. Switching on the lights, the captor walked toward a short, long table set against one of the walls. Looking back toward the cheetah as he fidgeted on the ground, he picked up two objects from the table. Placing one of the objects behind his back, the other, a 6 inch long knife, he gently began tapping against his right outer thigh. Walking back around, he slowly lowered himself on to one knee as he continued to glare at Drake as the cheetahs eyes struggled to focus. A small smile slowly beginning to grow, he watched the cheetah's eyes focus on his face as he felt a sense of joy as he watched Drake's face fill with fear.

"James!" Drake called out, as his eyes blinked desperately at an elderly gray and white fox kneeling before him, unable to believe what he was seeing. "You're alive…but…I saw Timothy…he…"

James, looking down at the cheetah, suddenly with lightning speed plunged the 6 inch knife into the side of the cheetah's thigh. Drake, letting out a deafening scream, struggled in vain from the sudden bust of pain as James released his gray paw from the hilt of the knife now pressed against the cheetahs tan fur. "That hurts doesn't it, Drake?" James spoke to the cheetah as he grabbed hold of Drake's muzzle. "I want you to know what it must have felt like when you sat there and watched Natalya plunge a knife into my mate's leg. How she must have screamed, just like you, except…oh yeah…" James quickly grabbing hold of the knife once more, pulling it out of the cheetah's leg and plunging it once more back in. "Natalya did that four times before she was done, didn't she, Drake?" Rising up again, James turned to face one of the maintenance room's walls. "Natalya and Anna killed a major part of me all those years ago in June, Drake. You, Drake, were a part of that, you and Anna. Kenny is dead, Natalya is dead and even the Gibbons brothers are both dead now. I almost lost the last of my family later that same year because of you and them. I came back here because I know Anna will do anything to avenge her sister when she is released." Turning back toward Drake, James, his light emerald eyes piercing through the cheetah, licked his lips slightly. "Now I am growing tired of asking you this question Drake, I just want you to be truthful to me. So I will asked again very slowly, what…is…Anna…planning?"

"James, please." Drake replied as he continued to stare down at his leg, the hilt of the knife still protruding, breathing heavily. "I don't know anything. Nobody in that circle trusts me anymore after Natalya."

"I know you know something Drake, tell me!" James shouted back down at the cheetah, suddenly withdrawing a small Glock 36 and pointed it at his head.

"I don't know…" Drake cried back

"Tell me now or I swear I will end you here and now. TELL ME!" James screamed back, as he chambered a round.

"Please James, I don't know. Anna will only communicates through her lawyer, a…a…Mr. Ruskoff, to anyone outside of prison." Drake screamed as a sudden strong odor of ammonia began to radiate from the cheetah, as urine slowly began to spread along the floor alongside him.

 _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_

"We got an invitation to little Mae's graduation today." Judy slowly walked around the bed as she removed her robe, setting it across a corner chair by the window. "It just feels like life is rushing by us, Nick. I mean with Leo and Marie leaving us soon, I just have this feeling…"

"Carrots, that is what it is like being a parent." Nick replied as he adjusted his pillow, watching Judy climb into bed. The light blue nightdress she was wearing, Nick noticed, delicately hugged her sides, showing off her small framed body. "Kids grow up, but between you and me, I still have a hard time believing Mae is the result of a Flemish rabbit and a timber wolf. I mean come on, Carrots, she has no rabbit features at all. Ok, her teeth and nose I grant you, but the rest of her, ears, tail, feet, I mean they are all wolf."

"She is the sweetest little thing." Judy said as she crawled over next to Nick. Judy, adjusting herself comfortably, rested her head gently against Nick's soft bare chest as she closed her eyes and listened to Nick's heart beat slowly. Raising her head up she softly began to kiss the underside of Nicks chin as she reached up and began twirling his ear with one of her paw fingers as she smile back at him.

"Mrs. Wilde, are you somehow trying to take advantage of a helpless, sworn officer of the law?" Nick said jokingly as his right paw slowly began brushing the tip of Judy's bushing tail.

"And if I was, Captain Wilde, what would you do to me?" Judy replied back flirtatiously, throwing back the bed comforter with one of her feet as her slowly began wrapping the other around Nick's thick, bushy tail.

Nick, suddenly grabbing her soft gray paws, locked eyes on Judy. "Well then, I am afraid you leave me no other choice but to restrain you till…" A series of loud rings suddenly began to erupt as both Nick and Judy suddenly looked up over to Nick's bedside table. Reaching over and grabbing his department issued cell phone, Nick quickly swiped along the screen. "Hindquarter, god help you if this is not an emergency." Nick suddenly roared into the phone as he slowly turned and rolled off the bed.

Judy, letting out a low giggle quickly stopped as she watched Nick's expression change as he listened. Quickly raising her ear, she carefully struggled to listen, Nick was now pressing the phone tightly to his ear to hear the low voice of Hindquarter speaking fast on the other end. "Nick, what is it?" Judy asked, raising herself slowly as she continued to watch Nick.

"Alright, Joseph, I will be there shortly. Have Chelsey and that one rookie we got…what's his name…start processing the scene till I get there." Hanging up the phone, Nick quickly walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of trousers and shirt as he started removing his sleeping pants.

"Nick, what is wrong? What happened?" Judy asked again, suddenly worried by the speed with which Nick was dressing.

Taking a quick breath, Nick turned his head back toward Judy as he gazed worriedly at her. "Hindquarter just got a call from dispatch. A unit patrolling along the west end of the city just found the body of a cheetah lying on the corner of St. Denis and 69th street. My unit has been called to the scene."

"Why does that location sound so familiar to me, Nick?" Judy quickly thought as she felt the room suddenly turn cold. Reaching down along the edge of her feet, Judy grabbed the bed's comforter and slowly began wrapping it around herself. "What else did Joseph say, Nick? I know he said something else, I can see it in your eyes." As she watched Nick suddenly crouch down alongside the floor next to his night stand, Judy quickly began hearing rapid beeps followed by the sound of a latch being released. "Nick?" Judy called to him, as he rose back, quickly sliding his reserve weapon into its holster and positioning it behind his back along his belt. "Nick please, talk to me."

Placing a knee on the bed, Nick leaned in close to Judy as he reached out with his right paw, gently holding her twitching cheek as he slowly kissed her on her lips. "I'm sorry Judy, but I need to go. I promise, I will tell you in the morning. I got to hurry, I love you." Moving off the bed, Nick turned and quickly walked out of the bedroom, as Judy simply sat there in the middle of the bed, the comforter still wrapped around her.

"I love you too, Nick, please be careful and come home safe." Judy called out as she slowly watched Nick's dark shadow disappearing as it started to descend the stairwell.


	3. Fears and Unknowns

Chapter Three – Fears and Unknowns

 _St. Denis and 69_ _th_ _street – Zootopia Business Region_

Slipping his coat on over his shoulders, he slowly stepped away from the driver side door. Nick, taking his time, slowly began to advance toward the corner of St. Denis and 69th street, a cup of his favorite beetle coffee in hand. Through the mass of police vehicles and crime scene personnel, he advanced toward a pair of portable light towers positioned just off a set of main steps leading to a vacant large office building in the foreground. Gazing around the massive scene before him Nick standing perfectly still and watched a team of technicians and uniform officers. Illuminated by the high powered lights, he quickly spotted nearby a familiar black striped aardwolf that was Sgt. Hindquarter, standing among the crowd of ZPD officers, his right wolf paw resting up against one of the department's forensic vans. Turning to face him Nick saw he was smiling as he appeared to be talking to what looked like a female rookie artic wolf that was propped up next to him, her shoulder resting along the van. Nick, taking a small sip of his coffee, turned his head away from the group and scanned the crime scene once over before turning his attention back toward Hindquarter. "Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Nick quickly shouted over to the group, his eyes connecting with each individual officer near the van.

Hindquarter, his head suddenly jumping up, felt a sense of fear come over him as he turned as saw Nick standing away from him. As Nick's eyes immediately connected with his own, Hindquarter, suddenly hearing the all too familiar loud snap of Nick's two paw fingers, saw Nick's eyes close slightly as began motioning him over to his side. "Crap!" Hindquarter said under his breath before suddenly shouting out, "Sorry Captain." Quickly rushing toward Nick he turned back and watched his fellow officers start grabbing gear and disappearing into the swarm of CSI technicians.

"Details, go!" Nick suddenly spoke as Hindquarter neared him, Hindquarter breathing rather too quickly.

"Captain, I was just…discussing some tactical…" Hindquarter started to speak before suddenly noticing Nick's unamused look, quickly stopping in mid-sentence. "Sorry, won't happen again." Hindquarter, reaching in and grabbing his notepad from the inside of his jacket pocket, quickly cleared his throat. "Victim is male, anonymous, no wallet or identification. Medical examiner has some ideas but will not know more till later, from what he has found so far in a nut shell captain, multiple stab wounds to the upper thigh, claw marks to face and chest, and two gun shots wounds, to the head. Victim was found by Officer Grainer and Yukon from precinct four after rolling on a call from dispatch on a possible body seen lying along the side of the road." Hindquarter, flipping through his note book, slowly let out a rather long yawn before shaking his head inadvertently.

"You need to take a nap, Hindquarter?" Nick said sarcastically before quickly catching sight of a familiar female African golden cat wearing police coveralls. Nick, watching as she slowly knelt down to take a photo of the body, turned back to Hindquarter, the flash from the camera illuminating the surrounding ground.

"No captain, just that I…" Hindquarter started to speak before noticing, once again, Nick's hard look again at him.

Raising his coffee up once more Nick, his deep green eyes piercing dangerously at his sergeant, took one long swallow before calling out in a rather loud carrying tone. "Shell casings?"

"None, captain, I think we are looking at a body dump. M.E. says lack of blood pool around the body indicates the victim was more likely murdered at another location. Chelsey and I are both of the opinion…" Hindquarter started to speak.

"Joseph, why am I here on this cold late night with you, Chelsey and…what's his name, instead of at home in my nice warm bed with my wife?" Nick asked, his eyes fully locked on Hindquarter.

"Logger, captain, his name is David Logger." Hindquarter spoke rather quickly. "He is over there taking the officers…" Hindquarter started the point.

"Shut…the hell…up, Joseph!" Nick suddenly shouted, quickly stepping up Hindquarter, inches from him, continuing to gaze strongly back at him. Fellow officer's close by both mammals hastily began to retreat from the sudden change in his tone of voice as he watched the aardwolf start to fidget in front of him, dropping his pen. "Give me one…just one… dam reason why we are here tonight dealing with precinct four's case?"

"Ah…yes, well…well you see, captain…" Joseph, struggling to remain calm, as Nick's simply continued to stare coldly back. "…the reason we were called was they found your police business card…I mean an old police business card of yours in the pocket of the victim, when they were checking the body for any identification." Hindquarter, quickly turning toward the mass of forensic personnel, suddenly yelled out. "Chelsey, I need that card they found over here, now. Please!" He said, looking desperately toward Chelsey, the young African golden cat Nick had observed just moment ago. Chelsey noticed immediately Hindquarter struggling desperately to use his eyes to wordlessly motion her over towards them.

Chelsey Pawler, a young veteran officer of only five years, but one of the brightest of the many protégé's of Nick's within the ZPD, quickly jumped to her hind feet, rushing toward a rather short forensic skunk standing just off the side of her. Nick quickly observed her grabbing something from the skunk and signing a short clipboard before making a quick dash toward him and Joseph. Holding up a small plastic evidence baggie, Chelsey placed it gently into Nick's hand. "Captain, here is the card we found."

Taking the baggie from her, Nick slowly began examining the old heavily worn business card, instantly recognizing it. "This must be at least 20 years old. Why would this cheetah or any mammal for that matter, hold on to it for this many years?" Carefully examining it further, adjusting it slightly to the light illuminating from the street, Nick could still faintly read the old worn bold letters printed on the face of the card, Sargent Nicholas P. Wilde. "Is there anything that could tell us the identity of the victim?"

Chelsey, turning back toward the body, watched as the forensic personnel finishing nearby began to withdraw from the scene, covering the body once more. "Sorry captain, all that we found on him was that card, some loose change, a set of keys. Oh and a rather small neckless chain with the name Susan on it. Due to the amount of bruising and cuts to the face, we will have to rely on his paw prints to find out his identity."

"Thank you Pawler." Nick replied back in a low tone, handing back the small baggie. Closing his eyes, Nick slowly began rubbing his paw fingers across the top of his eyelids as he felt his mind slowly began to wander as he took a few steps away. Nick, his eyes suddenly opening, looked unexpectedly back at Hindquarter and Pawler, his mind all of a sudden erupting with a memory. "Chelsey, you said the victim had this card in his pocket along with a chain with the name Susan on it? Was the chain gold or silver?"

"Silver, Captain why?" Chelsey replied back quickly before Nick spoke once more.

"Hindquarter, tell me again all of the victim's injuries based off yours and the M.E.'s early view of the body, everything, no matter how small." Nick suddenly spoke, turning back to Joseph.

"Sure…captain." Joseph replied as he quickly began flipping slowly back through his notes. "Based on the M.E.'s preliminary examine when he arrived and my own, the victim shows major bruising to the face and paws, from what he and I can only imagine captain, was brought on by heavy beating during long periods of time. His paws and arms show clear signs of being restrained, due to the victim's fur around his wrists being rubbed off and the skin inflamed. Multiple stab wounds to upper right thigh. The coroner did note something about this injury, the wounds he noticed, they appear to have been newly sutured not even 10 hours ago, leading him to ask, why? I mean captain, if the mammal or mammals that did this, in the end chose to kill him, why take the care to suture the wound and not just let him bleed out slowly. The M.E. said he would know more when he gets him to autopsy." Flipping over the page in his notepad, Joseph continued reading. "Claw marks to face and upper chest, suggesting a medium to small predator as the perpetrator. Lastly, two gun shots wounds to the victim, one to the left side just below the ear and one to back of the head. Size of the wounds suggests small caliber, no visible exit wounds. M.E. will notify us when he retrieves the bullets after the autopsy." Closing his notepad, Joseph quickly noticed the manner of Nick's movements, slowly pacing in front of both him and Chelsey mumbling slightly. Joseph simply gazed at him.

"Bruised and clawed face and chest, paws restrained, stab wounds to upped right thigh." Nick, his voice low, began to walk along the street. His eyes turning toward the tall abandon building slowly began to climb as both Joseph and Chelsey continued to watch him. "It just doesn't seem possible, how would anyone else know, except for…her and…but…why now?"

"Captain?" Joseph suddenly asked as he heard the last few words from Nick. "Who are you talking about?" Turning his head to face Chelsey, Joseph felt an uneasiness quickly overtake him. "Why is it that I just got this eerie feeling, like I am somehow reliving something? I can't for the life of me put my paw on it." Looking back at Nick, Joseph felt his gaze unknowingly shift suddenly toward the victim's body before returning once more to Chelsey, as she continued to stand there staring back with a blank expression. Suddenly, registering something deep in his own memory Joseph's eyes fell rapidly to his notepad shot back up, "Oh god, not twice." Turning once more, Joseph quickly rushed toward Nick, grabbing his arm and leaning himself close to his ear as he whispered something.

"What is it?" Chelsey suddenly asked as she stood there watching Joseph and Nick, completely lost in the sudden absence of sound. "Am I missing something here?"

Rushing quickly past Chelsey, Nick dashed toward the body on the ground followed closely by Hindquarter, as Pawler, not realizing what just happened, followed behind the both of them simply dumbfounded. Grabbing hold of the plastic sheet covering the body, both Nick and Hindquarter threw it quickly off the body, exposing it once more. "No…she…but." Chelsey heard Nick speak as she watched as Nick's face abruptly changed.

"Could this be a warning, captain?" Hindquarter spoke out rapidly, as he also stared down at the body, unable to believe he missed it. "Is something coming our way?"

"Joseph, captain, will someone please tell me what…" Chelsey started to speak before suddenly feeling Hindquarter, reaching out with his paw to grab hold of her, he forced her far back away from Nick and the body, towards one of the nearby forensic vans. "Joseph!" Chelsey burst out, her eyes wide and full of shock. "Let go of me or I swear I will kick the living…" struggling desperately, she started to pull free from the aardwolf's slacking grip on her.

"Chelsey, lower your dam voice, dam it!" Hindquarter burst out in a low hush tone. "Captain does not like any of us talking about this in front of him, so watch your tail if he ever hears you discussing what I am going to tell you." Taking a long deep breath Hindquarter, quickly glancing over his shoulder, watched Nick as he began to cover the body once more. "18 years ago, a female artic wolf by the name of Natalya Specknoff the captain and I were chasing down murdered the captain's mother at his old childhood home. His wife, Commander Wilde, was pregnant with their two kits at the time so I was reassigned to him as his partner when I was fresh out of the academy. The captain was only a sergeant back then." Turning around, Joseph slowly pressed his back up against the side of the vehicle they were both beside, as both now continued to stare at Nick from a distance. "That sociopath called him from his mother's own phone, telling him how desperately she wished she could have saved her own mother from dying. By the time we reached the house, Natalya had left. The captain's mother had already been found by the local police there, lying on the floor." Chelsey suddenly noticed Joseph's eyes widen as he relived that night in his head, walking into the house's dining room and seeing the body of Nick's mother on the floor. "Natalya, from all the evidence gathered that night, had gone completely savage on his mother. The medical examiner later stated in his report that the injuries to the captain's mother were meant to be slow and painful. That beast kept his mother alive and conscious through the whole ordeal." Taking another breath, Joseph closed his eyes and opened them slowly once more. "That body…" pointing back towards the plastic sheet on the ground. "I feel is a message, for whom though, I do not know."

"Why would you say that?" Chelsey asked, her eyes now transfixed on Nick.

"The wounds inflicted on that body are close to identical to the captain's mother's injuries." Joseph replied back. "The only major difference is that she was not shot, she bled out due to the stab wounds to her upper thigh. Natalya, in her savagery, had nicked a major artery. None of the injuries were ever released to the press. The two bullet wounds to the head though are completely new. The last thing is…" Joseph took another breath. "I think the captain knows who the body is." Turning to look at Chelsey, Joseph quickly diverted his eyes and lowered his head. "There are only two mammals, still alive or believed to be, that we know of, who knew about what happened that night at the house. One is Natalya's half-sister and the other was an old associate who was never charged for Nick's mother's murder, but more than likely was involved."

As a short breath of wind abruptly blew along the long, narrow road, a tall figure stood perfectly still as his aged eyes watched a lone red fox crouching next to a lifeless cheetah along the corner street. From among the small growing crowd from beyond the police tape the aged fox's light emerald eyes simply watched as Nick proceeded to cover the cheetah's body once more before slowly standing up and making his way back along the cluster of police. Slowly the gray fox began sliding his paw up along the dark flock coat he was currently wearing, reaching for something along the interior left breast pocket. Taking a deep breath, as he slowly clasped the collar of his coat closed, feeling the cold wind brush along him, he began to withdraw his paw from his coat, clutching tightly to what appeared to be a small aged photo, gazing down at it and then back towards Nick.

Nick, his mind currently in a state of freefall suddenly, for some unforeseen reason, felt his head turn toward a crowd of onlookers. His eyes, quickly scanning the many faces within the crowd, suddenly stopped as he eyes fell on one mammal, barely visible between two oversized bears. Unable to fully know why or how he knew to stop at that exact moment, among the countless faces and news crew there, he spotted the aged gray fox staring back at him. Unable to fully comprehend what he was seeing, both foxes simply stood there continuing to stare at one another. Taking a few steps forward Nick, not paying any attention to his surroundings, he suddenly felt his adrenaline rush forward as a police cruiser unexpectedly passed within inches of him, forcing him to jump back hastily, losing his line of sight for a mere second. Grasping at his chest and breathing heavily, he turned quickly back to gaze toward the exact location from moments before, his eyes searching desperately, saw no sign of the fox. The aged gray fox had simply vanished.

 _Police Precinct 1_

"Ethel, can you please find out if the quarterly crime reports from all the districts are in yet?" Judy called out to her assistant sitting just outside of the door as she quietly sat at her desk the following late afternoon. Removing a pair of reading glasses from her eyes and placing them on the desk beside her, she slowing closed her eyes and began rubbing at them.

"Careful, you my rub away those beautiful violet eyes I miss every day." Nick's voice spoke suddenly as Judy suddenly looked up, noticing him standing by her office doorframe making her jump slightly.

"Nick! What are you doing over in this part of town so late in the day?" Judy shouted as she jumped from her chair, rushing toward him. "I've been worried all day and you never came home last night. What happened?"

"By the time we wrapped up everything I was just too tired to drive back home so I slept on the fold out couch in my office." Nick replied, hugging Judy with one arm. "Hindquarter, Pawler, and…the new guy I just can't remember, slept in the precinct bunkrooms." Slowly walking over to the couch along the wall in Judy's office, Nick sat down, an uneasy look showing over him.

Judy, suddenly feeling unnerved as she watched Nick sit down, continued to examine him. "Is something wrong?" Judy, walking toward the couch where Nick sat, her paws shaking slightly, lowered herself gently next to him. "Nick, please, I know that look, just tell me what it is."

"I think Drake Grounder is dead." Nick spoke in a low tone, his head drooping slightly.

"Drake…Drake Grounder? But he has been underground for years, ever since the Anna trials, why would…?" Judy suddenly stopped as she noticed Nicks eyes widen by her last few words. "Nick? You mean the body last night, what proof do you have?" Judy paused suddenly. "Is something happening that I need to know about?"

Nick, raising his head up, reached out and clasped Judy's soft paw in his, not able to bring himself to look at her. "Remember last week when I was here answering questions from Higgins? Well as I was passing Greg's office, he called me in and asked how I was and everything. Well a few weeks ago Greg received his quarterly report from the parole board over at Galapagos Maximum Prison." Nick taking a deep breath slowly began to raise his eyes toward Judy's. "They're planning on releasing Anna Russak in the coming months or so."

"What? Anna! But…" Judy spoke rather fast, her eyes suddenly full with fear. "Oh my god…I knew it." Judy raised her paw, softly placing it above her left breast, as she breathed slowly.

Nick, quickly noticing her actions, stood up suddenly, his ears suddenly raised back. "What is it?"

Judy, quickly dropping her paw, all of a sudden looked up at Nick. "Nothing, it's just I…"

"You had another one of your nightmares didn't you?" Nick quickly asked worryingly as he remembered how fragile she was during that terrible time.

"Nick, I…" Judy was just about to reply when suddenly a series of loud rings suddenly began to erupt from within Judy's bottom desk drawer.

 _Downtown Zootopia – Bucks & Fleming Coffeehouse_

Sitting along one of the large glass windows, a small mismatched group of female friends consisting of two vixens, an otter and skunk all sat huddled along one of the massive tables, school textbooks and computers scattered every which way.

Positioned along the end cap seat, Marie Wilde, her mind clouded by the massive calculus formula I front of her, slowly raised her eyes as she flipped the page in her school textbook. Marie, leaning back slightly on her chair, began stretching her arms widely, feeling her chest stretch as she let out a long drawn out yawn as she felt her tail tray to wrapped around her legs. Turning to stare out of the massive windows, Marie felt herself grin widely as she took a few quick moments to watch the countless types of mammals pass by along the busy street corner from where the popular coffeehouse sat. Watching an elderly porcupine couple slowly passing along the window, their quills drooping slightly, Marie unexpectedly felt a sudden weird sensation of being watched herself. Quickly turning, she began to glance about the coffeehouse. No one, other than her own friends and the two employees of the coffeehouse, was currently there. "Carrie, Susan, Trish, do any of you feel like something is wrong?" Marie asked softly, turning to each of her friends.

"What…what do mean?" Trish, a slightly heavy set African clawless otter, asked not looking up from her laptop as she continued tapping away.

"It's just…I don't know, just never mind." Marie replied as she turned back and continued to gaze out of the large window. It was at that moment Marie noticed something staring back at her from across the corner. Leaning up against a stone wall, a young male lion wearing a dark hooded jacket, his dark black eyes looking out from underneath his hood, directly back at Marie, slowly began to emit an eerie smile across his darken golden colored face as he watched her unsettling stare. Marie, suddenly feeling a cold sensation traveling across the back of her neck, felt the chair physically shake as she continued to sit there. Lowering her head quickly back to her textbook, Marie after a few minutes, slowly raised her eyes once more across the street corner towards the male lion as he continued his stare into the coffeehouse from his position across the street. Lowering her head once more, shifting her chair slightly away from the window, Marie felt fear slowly began to creep up along her body, as she watched her left foot quickly began to tap rapidly along the coffeehouse floor like her mother. Quickly making up her mind, Marie suddenly rose up from her chair, startling the others crammed around it.

"Marie, what is it?" Carrie, a stunningly beautiful and slim hog-nosed skunk, suddenly called out, dropping her pen on her spiral notebook in fright as she watched Marie bend down and grab her bag, placing it on the table.

"I think I should I go home Carrie, I don't know why, but I do." Marie, her mind rapidly racing, listened shockingly to how calm her voice was, as she began closing her computer, quickly placing it in her bag before gathering her books and papers.

"What?" Susan, Marie's closet and longest bfff, best fox friend forever, suddenly popped her head up at Marie's words. "Come on Marie, its early." Quickly turning to the other girls, who like Carrie, were completely surprise by this sudden change in their friend, stared back at her bewildered. "I really need your help with this calculus; Ms. Cloverfield said she will have my tail if I don't turn it in on time." Trish, returning to her laptop, began to laugh as she watched Susan's eyes enlarge slightly. Susan, quickly turning to the otter, narrowed her eyes back at her. "Oh shut up Trish." She said quickly. "Ms. Cloverfield hates you just as much as me."

Stuffing her homework and textbooks into her bag and securing it, Marie quickly turned to Susan. "I'm sorry Susan, but I think I really need to, come with me. We can finish it up in my room after dinner. My mom would love to have you over, please Susan."

"I can't, Marie I have to be home tonight." Susan replied back. "I'm sorry."

Turning her eyes once more toward the corner across the way, Marie's fear continued to build as the unknown young lion remained perfectly still, pressed up against the stone wall along side of the street. Grabbing her bag and placing it over her right shoulder, Marie quickly turned and walked toward the door of the coffeehouse, quickly waving goodbyes to everyone, as she stepped out onto the busy late afternoon.

Quickly gazing one final time at the young lion, Marie turned along the city street quickly gaining her bearings before heading toward the direction of the city center. Quickly glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, she continued to walk among the massive crowed of mammals. Catching sight once again of the unknown lion walking now quickly behind her, Marie felt her heart rapidly drop in her chest as her eyes noticed the lion following her raise a cell phone up, pressing it to his ear. Quickening her pace even further, her breathing becoming faster, Marie suddenly reached for her own cell phone in her back jeans pocket. Quickly swiping across the screen, unlocking it, her paws shaking, Marie began to dial a number before raising it to her ear.

 _Police Precinct 1_

Quickly throwing open her bottom desk drawer, Judy, reaching in and noticing the number flashing upon it grabbed it up and swiped. "Hi honey, are you home yet?"

"Mom, I think I am being followed!" A scared and gasping voice of Marie suddenly spoke rapidly back, as Judy felt her ears suddenly fall down to her shoulders.

"What? Marie, where are you?" Judy suddenly spoke rapidly. "Hold on, I am putting you on speaker." Pressing the phone's speaker button, Judy quickly set the phone down onto her desk as Nick, his expression turning completely blank, suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness, as the memory of the prior night in which Hindquarter spoke of the death last night being some kind of message, followed by the unknown fox at the crime scene flooded back to him.

"Mom, I need you to call dad, I…" Marie started to say.

"Marie, he's right here with me honey." Judy quickly replied as Nick rushed to the desk. "Just stay on the line and tell us where you are." Judy, her heart racing simply listened as Marie's deep breaths echoed thought the phone.

"I am heading to headquarters right now. I just left the coffeehouse a few minutes ago. There is some guy, an African lion, following me. I saw him when I was at the coffeehouse across the way, just watching me. I felt freaked out so I left and he started to follow me." Marie suddenly spoke rapidly into the phone.

Grabbing hold of Nick by his arm, Judy, her eyes wide with fear, turned to him. "Leo! Nick, where is he? Call his cell, now!" Letting go of Nick's arm Judy suddenly turned to the open door of her office as she called out in a carrying tone, "Ethel!"

 _Downtown Zootopia – Hopper Street_

As Marie quickly turned along a corner, quickening her pace, her eyes suddenly flashed worryingly as she realized in her haste, she turned onto the wrong street. Quickly stopping, noticing her mistake, as she stood in what seemed to be an unoccupied side road, she hastily turned around and began heading back toward the main street before suddenly stopping once more in her tracks. Gazing ahead of her, his dark hooded jacket still covering his head, the unknown lion simply smiled as he gazed his dark black eyes back at Marie, lowering his cell phone. "Mom…please…help me!" Marie's desperate high pitched words suddenly rang into the cell phone as she slowly heard the unknown lion speak for the first time.

"No one can help you right now." The lion spoke in a deep heavy voice taking a few stepped forward.

Marie, frozen with fear suddenly felt two unknown and rather large white paws enclosing around her from behind as she watched the lion advancing toward her grinning as she felt something cover her muzzle and mouth, muffling her scream. Unable to break free, Marie's right paw caught within the arms of the unknown assailant, felt her grip on her phone quickly loosen as she fought in vain to free herself. Breathing deeply through the object covering her mouth, her mind rapidly beginning to swirl she began to feel herself drifting off; her vision quickly became more and more hazy. Slowly, as her vision began to fade, her hearing becoming muffled, Marie felt a sudden vibration as the sound of a muffled gunshot erupted close to her. The heavy pressure encompassing around her, quickly gave way as Marie succumbing to the darkness engulfing her, felt as if in slowly motion her body collapsing.


	4. Voices and Repercussions

Chapter Four – Voices and Repercussions

 _Police Precinct 1_

"Marie…Marie!" Judy suddenly yelled out desperately into the cell phone as the unsettling echo, followed by utter silence, began to unnerve her horribly and she began shaking her head weakly. "No! Marie…honey please…answer me." Judy began to cry out as she felt her knees suddenly give out from underneath her. Nick, quickly catching her and wrapping her in his arms, felt Judy begin to struggle weakly to break free, letting out terrible cries of agony as she slowly and lightly pounded her fists against Nick's chest. "Not my Marie, Nick…Not my baby!" Nick, his mind replaying the last few minutes over and over in his head, felt himself slowly lowering himself down to the floor, Judy still held now tightly in his arms. Kneeling, Judy sunk her face deep into his chest and Nick could simply do nothing as he felt her muffled screams of pain as they penetrated deeply through his chest and into his heart.

"Commander?" Ethel, appearing suddenly, her small ewe hooves rushing trembling through the open door, immediately stopped just mere feet away from Nick and Judy. Standing there, frozen with fear, Ethel could do nothing but stare up at Nick. As he held one paw around Judy's body the other rose to cradle her head against his chest as Nick rested his head on top of her fallen ears. Ethel, clasping her hoof fingers quickly to her mouth, unable to speak, gasped suddenly as she watched tears beginning fall freely from Nick's eyes.

Hearing Ethel's sudden gasp, Nick, turning his head as his eyes immediately locked on the grey ewe, felt his heart beat increase as it began burning deeply within. "Ethel, get Chief Higgins down here…right now!" Nick shouted at Ethel as he raised his head up, still cradling Judy in his arms. The grey ewe, jumping slightly at these words, turned around and began scampering out the door. Nick, his anger burning with ever more ferocity within him, watched as she quickly rushed out the door toward her desk. Nick, lowering his body now fully to the floor, lifted Judy lightly, her light gray body now too weak to resist. Adjusting her carefully in his arms and cradling her short frame gently, Nick slowly began to brush along the soft thin gray hairs of Judy's long ears as they hung lifeless in his paw. It was then at that moment, Nick, feeling suddenly his right ear twitch abruptly, felt his body immediately freeze by some unknown force as his head shot up, both ears raised high, flexing them back and forth. Listening carefully each ear, acting as if independent from the other, began scanning around the seemingly empty room, unknowingly picking up what seemed to be very faint words coming from an unknown source. Focusing his ears desperately on the faint words, his head, turning unknowing back towards the wood desk that was Judy's, was unable to fully comprehend what was suddenly happening before him.

"That was the worst thing you and your late friend could have ever have done." A low deep voice slowly echoed from what Nick now became aware of was Judy's cell phone, driving a cold chill down Nick's body.

Nick, his mind quickly thrown into overdrive, closed his eyes as he began desperately analyzing the situation before him. Suddenly and without reasons why, the white Flemish rabbit face of Tabitha suddenly burst before his eyes. Opening his eyes once more, breathing deeply, the sweet aroma of Judy's scent catching him off guard, he gazed down once more at her curled helplessly body in his arms. Nick, his head raising back toward the now vacant open door, licked his muzzle quickly, as his voice crackled from the sudden need to roar, yelling out to Ethel once again. As he heard the sound of the ewe dropping something along her desk just outside of the office door, Nick, finding his voice, called out, "Call Lt. Greg Wolford downstairs now! Tell him I want his grey tail up in this office immediately!"

"Judy?" Nick, lowering his head rather quickly, whispered softly, leaning his head back to Judy's right ear. "Judy listen…carrots please, I need your help." Judy, raising her head slowly as she slowly opened her eyes with tears still falling from them, slowly began to raise her ears slightly as she took a few short breaths and raised a paw to her eyes.

"Marie, Marie…come on girl, I need you to wake up for me. Grey, put this one in the back." Both Nick and Judy listened with bated breaths as a low muffled scream was quickly heard before being overtaken by a second mysterious male voice. "What about the other one?" "Leave him there, he is no use to me now." The first male voice replied back. "Marie…listen to me, I need you sit up, can you do that for me hun? Your head is going to hurt for a while, just press it tightly there, the bleeding will stop. Marie! No, hun I really need you to stay seated, just lean back against this, ok? Good girl."

Both of their eyes now becoming completely transfixed on the cell phone lying just within arm's reach of each of them, they simply continued to sit there on the floor of the office. Jumping suddenly out from Nick's arms, Judy, circling him, grabbed desperately at the cell phone from off the desk and suddenly began speaking frantically into it, her paws shaking, causing her to fumble the phone slightly for a second. "Hello…hello, who is this?"

"Judy? Nick? What is going on?" Chief Higgins suddenly called out in his deep voice, hastily entering Judy's office breathing heavily, his face completely stern.

Nick, quickly turning to face Chief Higgins, quickly raised up and held out his paw, motioning to the rather large hippo to lower his voice. "Chief, we have a situation right now." Quickly approaching Chief Higgins, Nick, grabbing hold of the Hippos massive arms, motioned him away from Judy as she continued to clutch the cell phone. "Chief, my daughter, Marie, called Judy's cell phone and began telling us she noticed she was being watched by some unknown lion while she was with some friends. She informed us she felt something not right so she left her friends and began heading towards headquarters here. As she was doing this, she informed us that same lion was now following close by her. All we know is that we heard what sounded like her was being attacked after that. A few seconds later we both heard the unmistakable sound of gunshots being fired."

"Is Marie alright?" Higgins, his large face quickly changing from stern to utter disbelief, rose and glanced quickly toward Judy before returning his attention back to Nick.

"We don't know. Marie must have dropped her phone during the struggle. All we know is that the phone is still on and we can now hear a male voice talking to someone else on the other end." Nick, quickly turning back towards Judy, noticed immediately something was wrong, "Judy…are you alright?" As he watched the her chest suddenly increase and decrease dramatically, her body quickly starting the shake violently.

"Nick, I just got a call from Judy's assistant. What the hell is so urgent?" Greg Wolford, suddenly appearing, walked through the open doorway shouting into the room at large.

"Greg, everyone, will you all just shut the hell up, I can't hear...I just…I!" Turning to each and every mammal in the room, Judy, her face in utter disbelief, breathing very fast and erratically, suddenly felt a searing pain explode in her chest as she quickly raised a paw to her chest. In what seemed a matter of seconds, taking a step towards Nick, the cell phone in her paw suddenly dropped as Judy felt herself rapidly begin losing consciousness. Struggling to focus fully on her surroundings, feeling herself quickly becoming weightless, she witnessed what she could only perceive as Nick rushing towards her, his arms reaching out for her as she collapsed on the office floor.

"Get a medical team up here…right now!" Chief Higgins exploded with utter emergency, causing many in the surrounding offices to rush out into the hallway. He quickly dashed toward Judy now crumbled on the floor, Greg and Nick at his side.

Nick, grabbing hold of Judy's left paw, lowered his ear down to her chest, listening desperately as he felt the slow soft quick beats of Judy heart. Breathing quickly, his eyes, spotting the cell phone next to Judy's unconscious body, simply continued to stare at it as he raised his head slowly from her chest.

"Is anyone still listening there?" The unknown voice suddenly spoke again, the tone of his voice now coming through the phone strong, his slow breaths echoing. "I know you all can hear me, I can certainly hear you all of you, so I will be very brief. I must say Judith, you have raised such a very beautiful young hybrid. I must congratulate you on this, being a bunny and all. I see so much of her father in her.

"I don't know who you are, but if you so much as touch my daughter, I swear…I will find you and no mammal alive will stop me from…" Nick suddenly screamed, his anger rising to new levels.

"I want you…Nicholas…right now to shut your damn muzzle and listen to me." The voice said quickly, interrupting Nick. You daughter Marie is safe here with me at the moment and you need to right now make sure your son is also. I will give you…" The voice suddenly paused. "…thirty minutes, before I leave her here."

"How do you know us, my daughter's name? Answer me!" Nick shouted back into the phone only to hear silence on the other end. "Who are you?" Breathing rapidly, Nick's questions were met with complete and unnerving silence as he heard the cell phone fall once more to the ground. Looking up at Greg, Nick's heart immediately came crashing down. As he continued to hold the phone in his paw a soft female voice suddenly call out, "Daddy?"

"Chief Higgins?" a hurried voice suddenly called out from along the hall. "We're in here." Chief Higgins shouted as group of medical personnel quickly turned the corner along the hallway, entering the office rapidly.

"Greg." Nick, quickly returning to the task at paw lifted himself off of the floor and rushed toward Wolford. "Where is Tabitha, I need her help?"

"Tabitha? I think she is still over at her lab at the 2nd Precinct, why?" Greg replied back, concern quickly falling over him.

"I need her to run a GPS trace to Marie's cell phone. We need to know where she is located at." Nick spoke rapidly as he began to watch one of the medical members, a middle aged male skunk, as he inserted an IV needle into Judy while the others were preparing her to be moved. "Greg, Please, I need to find my daughter."

 _Police Precinct 2 Forensic Lab_

"That's my beautiful girl, tell mommy what that big awful mammal did." Tabitha, her white Flemish rabbit ears twitching slightly, spoke in her low mommy voice as soft beeps suddenly went off within her lab. "Now I can put you to bed for the evening and enjoy some family time." Turning around from the stainless steel table she was currently working at, Tabitha quickly began walking towards her favorite machine, the mass spectrometer, sitting along her lab wall. Suddenly vibrations began to emanate from her cell phone currently residing in the back pocket of the skirt she was wearing. Tabitha, enjoying the soft feeling of the short vibrations a little too much racing across the back part of her fur, guiltily let it ring a few extra times. Smiling up at a small computer screen, her mind briskly slipping away, Tabitha quickly brushed the white lab coat she was currently wearing to the side and reached behind her. Glancing down at the screen, her smile seemingly growing even wider, saw the face of her husband Greg's photo staring back at her as she pressed on the cell phone. "Hey there my big wolfy, I am just wrapping up for the day…"

"Tabitha, quickly, are you still in your lab?" Greg quickly spoke, turning to Nick now crouched down next to Judy on the floor.

"Yes. Why?" Tabitha's ears quickly began twitching as she heard the frightened tone in Greg's voice through the cell phone. "What's wrong?"

"Something has happened to Marie, Nick needs you to run a GPS trace on Marie's cell phone right now. We need to know where her location is." Greg quickly replied.

"Yeah…sure, hold on." Turning around, Tabitha quickly rushed back toward her main computer along the opposite wall. Gripping her rolling chair Tabitha, planting herself down, rapidly began typing away. "Please tell me Marie is alright? Does Judy know?"

"Yes…Judy knows…" Greg looked down once again as the medical team were still circled around her. "…but we don't really know anything about Marie." Greg hastily replied back.

Her eyes moving rapidly across the computer screen, Tabitha's heart rate rapidly began to accelerate. "It's coming up now, Greg." Still typing rapidly, Tabitha watched with bated breath as she began pin pointing Marie's cell phone's exact location within the limits of a few city blocks. "Got it! Greg, her GPS signal is currently stationary, it's on Hoper Street."

"Hoper Street, thanks sweetie, love you." Greg spoke rapidly before hanging up.

Laying the cell phone down slowly on the desk, Tabitha, taking a long deep breath, closed her eyes. "Please be safe." Tabitha whispered to herself as she opened her eyes once more and lowered her head onto her white paws. Her eyes suddenly became glued to a small recent photo taped alongside her computer screen. Tabitha unexpectedly began focusing on all the faces within it. Judy and herself, both sitting along the edge of a swimming pool in their swimming attire, smiling at the camera, their feet submerged in the water. Tabitha, her eyes moving to the center of the photo, now fell on both Marie and little Mae sitting between the two of them. Little Mae, Tabitha smiled back at the photo, held happily on Marie's lap, as she waved a tiny paw back in her little swim suit. Marie, wearing a simple blue one piece, laughing back at the camera, her feet also submerged in the water.

 _Police Precinct 1_

Greg, his eyes quickly turning to Nick, grabbed at him with his free paw as he hung up his cell phone. "Nick, Tabitha's got a fix on her cell phone. She is on Hoper Street."

"Hoper Street! But that would put Marie at about what, six city blocks from here." Nick gazed toward Chief Higgins then back to Greg. "Ten." Higgins replied back.

"Nick?" Judy called to Nick in a low, shaking voice. Judy, her vision still burry and unable to move, slowly began to lift her right paw up. Nick, taking care not to dislodge the IV currently in her wrist, slowly closed his paw around hers. "Keep…them safe." Judy spoke slowly as she closed her eyes once again.

"Captain, we need to get her to the hospital." One of the medical members, a female snow leopard this time, called out as they started to secure Judy onto a small mammal EMS gurney. Slowly releasing Judy's paw as gurney began to move forward, Nick watched with worry as Judy's small gray paw slowly fell along the side of her as the team rushed her out of her office and around the corner.

"Wolford, I need your radio…now!" Chief Higgins called out motioning to Greg as he and Nick were pushed back by the medical team leaving with Judy. Reaching out with his small fingers, Higgins grabbed for the radio along Greg's belt, quickly turning the dial along the top of it. "Chief Higgins to dispatch, I want all available units to Hoper Street, priority code 207. I repeat, priority, code 207, Hoper Street, City Center." Staring at Nick and Greg, Higgins threw the radio back at Greg. "Both of you get your tails the hell out of here and find her! I'll head to the hospital and keep you up-to-date on Judy."

"Chief, will you send a unit to my house? I'll call my son along the way." Nick said quickly as both he and Greg rushed toward an open elevator. "Copy that Wilde, just find Marie I'll take care of everything." Higgins called back. Nick, rushing into the elevator with Greg in tow, quickly pressed the elevator's control panel for the police unit's vehicle parking area. Reaching into his pants pocket, Nick, quickly withdrawing his cell phone, began to dial his son's cell phone number.

 _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_

"Sup dad, you need something?" Stretched across the length of the living room couch, Leo, his feet propped up along the couch's arm rest, fully complacent, munched on a few hazel toasted hoppers from a bowl next to him as he continued watching one of his favorite afternoon shows.

"Leo, where are you right now?" Nick shouted violently as the cruiser he was riding in suddenly made a sharp turn out of the parking structure, its siren blaring.

"I'm home, dad." Leo replied, raising himself up slightly and dropping the bowl of hoppers, sounding slightly worried by his father's tone and noise coming from the other end of the phone.

Nick, lowering the phone, took a few deep breaths as he steadied himself before quickly raising the phone once more. "Leo, listen to me and do not interrupt. Go lock all the doors and windows downstairs. Do it right now!"

Leo, quickly jumping over the back of the couch cell phone in hand, rushed quickly toward the front door, latching both the lock and bolt. Quickly making his way through each room, Leo checked each of the seven windows along the first floor of the house finishing with the rear back and inside basement doors off the kitchen. "Alright dad, everything is locked. Now will you tell me what is going on?"

"Leo, just listen to me, I will tell you once you do one more thing. Go to my office upstairs right now. Tell me when you get there." Nick, seated in the passage seat of Greg's cruiser suddenly felt the vehicle become air born slightly as Greg flew the car out into public traffic from the Police Headquarters parking structure.

"Alright, I'm in your office dad, now what?" As Leo spoke, he pressed his phone activating the speaker function to hear more clearly. Turning around, staring at his father's desk in the corner then to the small sofa along the opposite wall, Leo, unsure what he was to be doing, simply waited for his father to speak once more.

"Alright, Leo, go to the closet." Nick's voice responded suddenly. "On the floor in the back corner there is a floor safe. The code is 1193. Open it and get the contents out."

Dropping to his knees, Leo, seeing the safe, reached out with his paw fingers and quickly pressed 1193 on the safe's electronic keypad and opened it. Lowering his right paw, Leo's eyes suddenly widened as he felt his heart began beating rapidly. Withdrawing his paw slowly from within the safe, Leo, without even seeing if fully with his own eyes, felt the unmistakable form of a gun clutched tightly in his paw. "Dad, I really need to know, what the hell is going on?" Leo shouted into the phone's speaker as he leaned back, feeling his back collapsing against the open closet door, the small handgun now resting in his lap, his paw trembling as it continued to support it. "Leo, you and your sister are in danger right now. I need you to stay in that house and protect yourself." Nick spoke through the speaker. "A unit is being sent to the house right now, do not open the doors to anyone other than the ZPD, do you understand? Remember what I taught you last summer at the range, firm grip and use the sights. "Yeah dad, I remember, but what about Marie, where is she, and what about mom?" Leo asked his voice now weak with fear, as he continued to stare down at the small gun. "Your mother has been taken to the hospital right now, and your sister we do not know yet. She was talking to your mother and me when we heard her being attacked. We are heading to find her now. Just stay in that house, Leo!"

 _Abandoned Subway Maintenance Room - Meadowland District_

Sitting quietly, the brownish grey tips of his rear grey paws resting along the end of the low long table against the wall, James watched and waited as the young lion from Hoper Street stirred on the floor as he regained consciousness. "Careful now, you may not want to put too much pressure on that left shoulder." Blindfolded, his front paws tied behind him and lying on the damp concert floor, the young lion slowly began to struggle before suddenly stopping due to the pain he suddenly felt from the gunshot wound he obtained earlier. Letting out a slight laugh, the aged fox, rising from his chair, slowly walked over and squatted down close to the young lion's ear. "Oh my boy, the thoughts that must be going through your young mind right now." Again a light laugh echoed of the thick walls. "It's ok you know, you can scream, cry, it doesn't matter really, no one will be able to hear you here."

"You have no idea who you just…" The lion stopped suddenly as he felt his face erupt in pain.

"Boy, you have no idea the line you and your late friend crossed today." James suddenly shouted, his muzzle inches from the lion's ear, his breathing suddenly increasing. Raising his fist once more, as he raised his head, he let out scream of rage and drove his fist once more against the lions jaw. Quickly standing up, the aged fox walked along the side wall toward the low long table taking a few deep breaths. "I have seen so many of your kind come and go, boy. So just like those before you…where are my manners, we got off to such a fast start, I never even asked your name." James smiled as he turned his head back toward the bound lion on the floor. "I'm sorry…your name is?" he asked coming to a complete stop at the table, turning around and placing both his paws behind him as he waited a few seconds. "It doesn't really matter you know, if you don't want to tell me." Turning his head back to the table, reaching with his left paw, he quickly picked up a plastic card as his right paw continued to rest on table, covering something. "Let's see who I have the pleasure of today…ah, yes, Sean J. Clawburg, resident of 773 River Way, Sahara District." James read off the I.D. card as he turned his head to gaze down at the young lion on the floor. "Parents address, Sean? You don't look like the kind of mammal that would have his own place." Setting the card back down, James walked over and knelt next to the lion once again. "Well…Sean…shall we begin then where we left off?"

"I swear old fox, the moment I get free, I will…" Sean began to speak as a sudden flash of steel crossed his line of vision before suddenly roaring at the top of his lungs as he felt pain explode along his upper right arm.

"Never…ever…think of threating me again." James spoke suddenly as he slowly unclenched his paw fingers from the hilt of a knife now protruding from Sean's arm. Grabbing at Sean's short mane, raising the lion's head, James suddenly ripped Sean's blindfold off. With speed and agility far surpassing his own age, James, quickly reaching behind him, withdrew a long metal wire tie, quickly wrapping it tightly around Sean's neck as he pressed his own weight across Sean's chest, straddling him. Tightening the wire tie even greater, the gray fox slowly brought his face level with the lion. "Look at me!" James suddenly yelled at Sean as the brownish gray tips of his grey paws held the wire around the lion's throat, causing Sean to gasp desperately for air. "Look into my eyes, Sean, look in them! I want you to see this face of mine!" Sean, his eyes widening suddenly, began twitching violently on the floor. James, releasing his firm grip on the wire, his dead stare reflecting back at him from Sean's black eyes, felt his own heart rate begin to rise as he pressed even more of his body weight onto Sean's chest. "If you think for one second you can frighten me then we have a long night ahead of us." Extending his right paw, James grasped a firm hold on the protruding knife along Sean's upper right arm, quickly removing it. Slowly lifting himself off Sean's chest, stepping over him, the aged fox slowly walked back to the short table as he listened to the low cries of Sean. Setting the wire down on the table and turning around, James rested his paw once again on the table behind him, his other paw still clutching the now blood stained knife as he stared back at his guest. "Now, Sean, I think we'll take this nice and slow. I am going to ask you a few simple questions. Truth will be your only ally, but if you lie to me son, you will never…ever see the light of day again." Setting the knife down, the aged fox walked slowly back up and knelt once more next to Sean. Reaching out, James, his claws now fully extended, grabbed on to Sean's upper right arm, covering the fresh open wound completely. Slowly, applying greater and painful amounts of pressure, the aged fox simply continued to stare down into Sean's eyes, cold and without mercy. "Now, Sean…" James' sharp claws began to pierce deeper into Shawn's flesh. "…who ordered you to grab that young vixen?" Sean, shacking violently, let out a piercing scream as James continued to press into the upper right arm, blood slowly beginning to run in between the fox's gray paw.


	5. Fight and Flight

Chapter Five – Fight and Flight

 **48 Years Ago**

 _19 Hilltop Drive, Canal District_

"Jessica, just promise me that they will be kept safe?" James, his voice slightly weak, spoke into the telephone receiver.

"She is still far too weak to be moved right now, she's lost so much blood." A low high pitch female voice responded through the phone before pausing suddenly for a second. "James…I'm sorry to be the one to tell you…but only one of the kits made it, a boy, I'm sorry. I just thought you should know before…" The female voice replied again. "I will have Marie and her kit moved to your uncle's old house, in the Meadowlands District, in a few days. She will safe there with her new born, until it is safe to bring them back to the city. I promise I will do whatever I can for her and your son."

"Does Marie know?" James asked, as he felt pain, followed by anger, course through him. "About losing the others?"

"Yes." The high pitch female voice replied slowly.

"Thank you, Jessica, for everything. Please give my best to your grandson Johnathan. His late father was such a great friend." James finished, slowly lowering the phone receiver, placing it back on its base. Raising his head slightly, leaning forward in his chair, James began to smile as he imagined himself happily seeing his kit, laying there next to Marie as she smiled back at him, kissing her gently and feeling her red fur once more. "I have a son." James whispered happily, as he felt tears fall along his cheeks toward his muzzle. Rising up from a solitary chair in the corner of the darkened living room, James, dressed in black pants and charcoal grey sleeved shirt, rolled his shoulder slightly as he raised himself to full height.

"They're coming! 10 minutes tops, we need to go now!" The voice of a very young Drake Grounder suddenly rang out as the once young cheetah rushed through the narrow threshold leading out from the house's kitchen. Drake, his eyes full of fear, looked over at James as he continued to simply stand there next to a slightly worn sunflower yellow love seat. Turning his eyes toward Drake, James, slowly opening his paws and then closing them once more, felt his fingers tighten as he continued to stare at the young cheetah.

"Go on, get out of here, I'm staying here Drake. You have done enough for me already." James replied, as he leaned down to pick up a thick buckled leather bundle from the love seat. Walking toward the dining room table just off from the living area, James set bundle down on the solid wood surface and stared unbuckling the two straps. Drake, turning his head back quickly, checked behind him in the empty kitchen. Glancing hastily into the depths of the kitchen, he began to walk slowly toward James as he unbuckled the last strap from the rolled up bundle, unrolling it before him. "Drake, if you want to stay with me go to the serving cabinet over there in corner." James motioned with a quick upward nod with his head toward an old, long cherry serving table. "Inside, on the bottom, there is a shot gun hidden in a secret storage area there." James, unfastening a small colt from a side pocket within the leather bundle, quickly inserted a full loaded magazine clip into it, chambering a round. Raising his head suddenly, James, his ears quickly picking up a slight disturbance, began scanning around the open room, raising the gun. "We have less than five, tops?" Turning toward the front interior of the house, James taking one step forward narrowed his eyes as he continued to scan around. "Drake, either grab the shot gun from the cabinet…or get the hell out of here, now!" James spoke very softly but firmly as he continued to stare narrowly towards the front of the house.

Drake, frozen, his face completely encompassed with fear, began to shake as his eyes quickly began moving around the inside of the dark house. "I'm sorry, I…I…" Drake started to speak, breathing erratically, before glancing back towards James. Drake, turning around rapidly, rushed once again through the kitchen threshold and out the back door.

"Good bye, Drake." James spoke as he stood, now alone, in the dark dining room. Slowly moving toward a dark corner of the living room James sat gently down onto a tall wing back arm chair. James, his eyes fixed upon the surrounding room, smiling slightly, began to softly recite to himself a rhyme made about him years before, as he began attaching a suppresser to the end of his gun. "To darkness will come, those foolish to seek or hide. For by whispers and death, cries shall moan those foolish to brave this task. Seek my bravest, my fearful hide carefully, for never will either of you leave my piercing gaze. For I, the ghost…night's shadow, will find you."

Silently from outside, a mass of thin shadows began to quickly descend upon the rather modest sized house. Making their way along the house's perimeter were a variety of medium sized and one tall mammal, all dressed in what appeared to be dark clothing. They stopped suddenly, crouching low alone the outer side edge of the group assembled next to house's kitchen door. The larger one of the group, a fairly young lion, silently motioned to his fellow members: four foxes, two raccoons, and one pig. Holding up his paw, the lion quickly signaled to three of his members to follow closely with him as the group began their assault. James, his face half hidden now along the upstairs hallway shadows, listened silently and calmingly, his gun currently hanging low by his side.

Shifting his weight slightly the lion, grasping the back kitchen door firmly in his paw, turned it and entered rapidly, followed closely by the pig and two of the foxes. Glancing around the kitchen the lion, slowly lowering himself to a knee, motioned wordlessly to two of the foxes forward and through the threshold and into the house dining room. Quickly clearing the first floor, the four mammal team stopped suddenly along the bottom of the narrow staircase banister. Motioning wordlessly once more, the young lion ordered the male pig forward, his gun raised and steady, as he himself slowly followed close behind follow by one of the two foxes. Slowly and silently, the tight group began climbing the stairs along the short but wider than average hallway ending at an open loft common area. James, raising his gun, listened carefully as the group began to approach his location. Crouched down, hidden from sight of any oncoming mammals, James motionlessly watched as the male pig's frame followed by the large frame of the lion slowly began to enter his field of view. Lowering his gun and head, James exhaled slowly as his mind quickly turned once more to Marie and his now new born son. Wiping clean his thoughts, breathing deeply, James raised his head once more and stepped out of the shadows.

Rising swiftly from his hidden location, James, with careful aim and a steady paw, quickly fired one shoot into the male pig's head, killing him instantly. Turning swiftly to his left, grabbing a tight hold to the lion's paw, James, with his free hand, forced the young lion's gun high into the air as the lion discharged his gun into the ceiling. James, quickly lowering his own gun, fired two rapid shots into the lion, one to his right leg and abdomen. Still holding tightly to the lions paw and turning around, James, raising his gun once again, fired one round toward the completely stunned fox as he stood now close to the dead male pig's body, killing him instantly. Immediately letting go then of the young lion's gun, James, now with a free paw at his disposal lowered himself slightly to the floor. Suddenly striking the lion's now injured leg hard and heavy James, with a closed tight fist, brought the young lion quickly to the floor. Raising himself rapidly back to his feet, facing the lion fully in the face, James fired two more shots at close range directly into the lion's chest, killing him. Turing around once again as the sudden sounds of rapid paw steps began to ascend the stairway, James quickly advanced back along the short hallway, his gun raised. Immediately catching sight of a figure in a matter of seconds, a lone dark dressed fox, James fired two shots striking him in the chest and head. As the dark clothed fox's lifeless body began to tumble back down along the staircase, James quickly rushed down and over the lifeless corpse, landed lightly along the houses entryway. Turning his head, quickly noticing two raccoons and a fox advancing towards his location, James moved suddenly and silently into the living room, lowering himself along the room's wall just past the room's threshold. James listened and watched soundlessly as the three individuals approached the fox's lifeless body.

"Damn it! Stay here." A fox, his voice shaking, spoke silently to the two raccoons. "Keith!" The fox called out, turning his head to another fox out of view. "Get over here!" The second fox, quickly advancing on the group, stopped as he stared down at the dead body in front of him. "You three, stay down here." The first fox spoke out, raising his gun up towards the stairs.

James, carefully watching, observed as one of the foxes slowly began to ascending the stairs once more. James watched as the fox's tail slowly faded into the darkness. Raising himself back up James unknowingly felt a sudden sharp prick behind his neck as he accidently brushed up against a rather large hanging frame along the wall.

"What the?" The second fox call out in a low deep voice, sounding on edge. "You…check it out. You…cover the kitchen." He whispered softly to the two raccoons turning his back to James.

Slowly and cautiously, one of the raccoons began to step forward toward the living room, crossing the threshold, his gun raised. James, noticing the raccoon shaking nervously, suddenly raised his arms and brought them down hard on the raccoon's hands. Raising his weapon rapidly, James quickly fired two shots at the fox as he was turning around towards James, killing him instantly. Striking hard with the back of his left hand against the raccoon's face James reached out with his paw, grasping the raccoon's gun. As both mammals struggled for the weapon, James, quickly head butting the raccoon in the head and grasping his gun arm, shoved the raccoon across to the opposite side of the threshold. Still grasping tightly to the raccoon's arm James, kneeing the raccoon into his stomach and off balancing him, flipped the raccoon over onto the floor. James, never losing control of the raccoon's gun arm, caught sight of the raccoon's fellow friend rushing through the dining room as he held out his paw quickly firing once and missing. Dragging the raccoon suddenly along the floor and kicking him unconscious in the head, James, hearing a gunshot go off, suddenly felt his upper arm erupt in pain as a bullet pierced through him. James, quickly crouching to the ground, turned rapidly and fired three shots into dining room. Raising up and moving quickly for cover over the unconscious raccoon, James fired one shot into the raccoon, killing him. Ejecting his magazine quickly and reloading, James cursed as he turned to his shoulder, quickly examining it. "Damn it!" Closing his eyes tightly, rage building, he raised his gun once again as he turned slowly towards the dining area, narrowing his eyes and searching for the raccoon. Quickly spotting him, James watched carefully as the raccoon crawled to the edge of the dining room table crouched beside one of the chairs. Stepping out from his protective cover, James, taking careful aim, fired two carefully placed rounds at the raccoon, striking and wounding him with both shots. Walking quickly across the entry way, James approached the wounded raccoon struggling to move along the floor, breathing heavily and shaking. Kicking the loosely held gun from his paw, James, with his foot, flipped over the raccoon. Pressing hard on his shoulder with his foot, James lowered his gun close to the raccoon and fired two rounds dead center to the chest.

Breathing heavily, James unknowingly felt two shots rapidly pass by, striking and splintering along the dining room table. Turning back toward the stairs, James quickly saw the last unknown fox jumping over his dead fellow members and rush toward him. Before he was able to raise his weapon, the unknown fox quickly tackled him, forcing him painfully to the ground. Rising quickly back to his feet. James, grasping on the fox's paws and snapping hard at his wrists, listened as the fox shouted in pain as his gun was suddenly flung across the room, stopping just within the kitchen. James gripping a firm hold of the fox's right shoulder quickly flipped him, sending him hard onto the table, driving his elbow into the fox's stomach. Rushing toward the unknown fox's gun just within the kitchen threshold, James felt a slapping pain in the back of left leg as he stumbled suddenly, readjusting his balance. Lowering his head down to his side, he saw a narrow knife sticking out of his leg, as the unknown fox rolled quickly off the table, extracting another knife blade.

James, backing slightly away as the blade of the fox's knife swung past his face, swung hard at the fox's rib cage before gripping the fox's throat, James other paw grapping at the fox's wrist. Struggling, the unknown fox unable to fully free himself due to James' tight grip, struck James hard to his ribs and face with his other free paw. Letting go of the fox's throat and paw and backing away slightly as he held his side, James quickly lowered his paw down along the back of his left leg and removed the narrow knife lodged in it. Throwing it to the ground, James turned once again towards the unknown fox, his hands raised. "Come on." The unknown fox, dropping his own blade and raising his own paws, smiled as he stared at James. Both foxes, rushing toward each other, quickly began throwing and blocking punches at each other. Feeling himself struggling against the speed of the unknown fox, James gabbed once again onto foxes shoulder and head butted the fox hard in his head. Feeling his vision suddenly become distorted, James felt his body slowly waiver as he stumbled slightly against the kitchen counter. Turning back towards the unknown fox and raising his paws once again, James caught sight of something dark out of the corner of his right eye and felt his face suddenly exploding in pain. As his body dropped immediately to the floor, James felt as his side hit and bounce slightly on the floor. Turning his head and struggling to raise himself, his right eye swelling, James slowly raised his body. Resting his back against a kitchen cabinet door, James drifted unconscious.

The unknown fox, breathing heavily, lowered a cast iron skillet he had just recently grabbed off the kitchen stove dropped the skillet at James' feet. Turning his back to James, the fox slowly walked back toward the threshold, bending down to pick up his gun. Walking back up to James, hovering over him, a slight smirk crossing the fox's face, he raised the gun up and pointed it at James. "So much for the famous ghost. I expected so much more."

"Hey, fox!" A deep loud roaring voice unexpectedly split the air.

As the unknown fox hovering over James turned his head suddenly toward the back kitchen door, his sore body aching, abruptly erupted in fear. Standing there, within the open doorframe, a dark black haired grizzly bear holding a 45 magnum revolver quickly entered as he fired three rapid and heavy shots into the unknown fox. The sheer force from the gun's bullets, ripping and tearing at the fox, sent the unknown fox across the floor, stopping just shy of the refrigerator.

"Now stay there." The grizzly shouted at the lifeless fox. Turning his attention quickly towards James laying on the floor, the grizzly rushed over and knelt down by his side. "James! James, come on." The large grizzly called out taking his eyes off of him and towards the mutilated corpse of the unknown fox. Raising a dark claw up to James' neck, the grizzly slowly felt a slight pulse run across it, "James, just hold on, I'll get you out of here."

Opening one of his eyes slowly, James, his vision slightly blurred from the force of the last hit he received, gazed up and noticed the familiar face staring down at him. "Gr…Grey?" James called out weakly before closing his eye once again. Moving slightly, pain exploding all around him, James opened his eye once again as stared back at Grey. "I feel as ugly as you look right now." James started to laugh slightly as pain shot through him, a slight smirk forming on his face.

"You are one damn crazy fox you know that?" Grey, chuckling slightly, as he slowly began to stand upright, picking James up and draping him carefully over his massive shoulder. "Is there any more in the house?" Pausing, Grey listened as James let out a slow breath, his body simply going limp in Grey's arm. "So ends another impossible mission for the legendary ghost." Grey continued to laugh as he turned back towards the open door and out into the night. "Come on James, a father needs to be able see his new born kit."

 **Present Day**

James, waking suddenly from a dead sleep, rose rapidly, grabbing his gun off the motel room's small side bed stand. Breathing rapidly, feeling sweat slowly drip down his brow, James quickly scanned the rather small single bedroom. Grapping hold of the thin bed sheet covering his body and throwing it off of him, he slowly lowered the gun down as he turned his body off the bed. Lowering his feet and hunching his back slightly, James, closing his eyes mournfully, watched the face of his beloved Marie's smile slowly fade. Hearing a sudden disturbance James, raising his head, glanced toward the room's heavily moth eaten brown curtains. Setting down the gun alongside the bed and pressing down lightly on the bed, he lifted his body steadily off the not so soft mattress. Approaching the room's single window, currently glowing slightly from the motel's neon light, James pushed aside one of the panel curtains. Catching sight of two rather large shadows pass close by his room, James watched as two young looking elks passed by. Listening halfheartedly to the late night couple's conversation as they drunkenly laughed at one another, he watched the male elk teeter slightly as he seemed to try desperately to insert his key card into the nearby room's door. Smiling and laughing slightly at this scene, James' mind unknowingly gave a slight cheer as he watch the male elk finally succeed in his endeavor. Witnessing the female elk grab on to the male, both disappearing into the room James continued to smile as he let go of the curtain. "Enjoy the moment, you kids."

Turning away from the window smiling, James glanced once more around his room, his mind alight as thoughts of days long gone, passed through him. Turning toward a small round wooden table and stuffed chair next to him tucked tightly in the corner of the room, James sat down. Scattered along the surface of the table nearly a hundred photos lay in no particular manner. James slowly, for what seemed the countless time, searched diligently for one particular photo his heart and mind wished to examine further. Gentle pawing through a small stack of colored photographs, James stopped suddenly as he quickly found what he was looking for.

Leaning back slightly in his chair he felt a growing smile once again across his aged face. The photo, dated nearly twelve years ago, appeared to have been taken from a slight distance. The photo, showing a young mixed couple and their two very young children, shook slightly in his paws as he continued to gaze at it. The young couple in the photo was apparently sitting on a blanket in a park playing with their two children, happily frozen in time. James, turning to each of the mammals in the photo, stopped for a few seconds as he gazed at each of them. A red haired fox wearing simple blue jeans and a grey t-shirt was holding his red and grey pawed fox/bunny daughter from behind, in his arms. The daughter, in a sun colored dress was on her knees laughing and had her head leaning to one side welcoming her father's kiss on her cheek. Next to them, wearing an autumn colored dress, a grey female bunny was hunched over a second same colored fox/bunny son. The young son, in jeans like his father, worn a blue t-shirt as he was being tickled on his stomach by his mother.

"I remember that day, our grandchildren looked so happy. We should be so proud of both Nick and Judy." James slowly heard the voice of Marie speak softly to him as he continued to sit in the chair, looking down at the photo.

"Yes they are. I just wish I could have been a larger part of their lives back then." James, lowering the photo back to the table, raised his head as he felt a familiar sensation of a soft red paw rub along his shoulders. "You and I should have been there, together, with Nicholas and his family."

"James." Marie's voice slowly began to become more and more distant. "We both did what we needed to do to protect this family."

James, raising his head, felt his tears began to burn slightly along the edge of his eyes. Closing his eyes and reopening them slowly, he looked out into the empty room. "I miss you so much Marie…I just…I should have been there to protect you."


	6. AN for Readers

I wanted to take this opportunity while writing my next upcoming chapter to thank each and every one of you, the readers. For those of you who are reading this story, and may have read my others, I would appreciate any feedback you may have, particularly for this story.

Feedback from my readers helps me grow as a writer and allows me to develop better stories.

Thanks you, everyone

John1326


	7. Bunds of the Family

_A/N: I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I am taking some time off to be with family and friends. I will return to the story after the first of the year, so please stay tuned for the next chapter._

Chapter Six – Bunds of the Family

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

"What do you got?" Joyce Meerburg, a female meerkat, dressed in light blue surgical scrubs, called out in a loud voice, quickly rushing toward an arriving EMT gurney as it entered through the ER's sliding doors.

"Seventeen year old female fox assault victim with open head wound. Possible loss of conscious, during or result of assault. Victim is experiencing light headiness and blurred vision." A male gazelle EMT called out as Joyce lifted herself up and along the moving gurney.

"Trauma three!" Joyce called back to the EMT, directing him as he quickly steered the gurney carrying Marie along the ER floor.

"Daddy? Where is…my dad?" Marie called out desperately, starting to struggle on the gurney due to the neck brace currently around her neck.

"Honey, listen to me, you need to try and stay still." Joyce grabbed hold of Marie's trembling paw while holding on to Marie's shoulder. "I need help over here!" Joyce yelled over her shoulder, calling for assistance as the gurney turned into trauma three. Lowering herself down back to the floor, she immediately circled the gurney, grabbing a disposable smock from a box along the wall. Raising herself back to Marie, taking a few deep breaths, Joyce turned to the group around her. "Alright listen up, everyone. Someone page radiology, I want a MRI ordered immediately." Turning her attention back to Marie, Joyce smiled at her. "Just breath honey, ok, I need you to breath for us."

"Heart rate is rising, but her vitals still within levels." A male swine called out.

"Honey, look at me, it will be all right, you're safe." Lifting up the surgical gauze lightly from Marie's head, Joyce quickly examined Marie's cut along her head. "It looks as if someone had started treating the girl's wound." Joyce spoke out loud.

"The EMT states that when they arrived, her head was already cleaned and prepped. They never asked who had done it due to her vitals dropping." One of the male nurses called over to Joyce.

"What the hell could have cut her head like that I wonder?" Covering the wound once again and raising her stethoscope to her ears, Joyce gently pressed the chest piece lightly against Marie's chest, listening carefully to her heart.

Alright, let's move her over." Joyce called out quickly, moving around as a pair of nurses close to her, a male antelope and female snow leopard, quickly advanced closer. "On my count, 3…2…1" Both nurses, lifting as one, quickly raised Marie up from the gurney and onto an exam table. "Let's get this neck brace off of her. Someone, I need a blood platelet cross match on her so we can get her levels back up from the blood loss she sustained. Do we know what her name is or anything?"

"The ZPD officer over there at the nurse's station arrived with the ambulance." A female black and white ewe nurse spoke up quickly. "I heard the officer said her last name was Wilde I think, yeah…Marie Wilde. He said her mother, Judy, was brought in here earlier."

"What?" Joyce turned quickly toward the ewe, completely shocked by this new information. "Oh my god, this is Judith Wilde's daughter." Grabbing a small light from her side pocket, Joyce began to shine it into Marie's eyes. "Marie…honey, can you hear me?"

"Doctor Meerburg, do you know this fox's mother?" The ewe asked.

"Yes." Joyce replied, looking back at Marie and then back at the ewe. "My god, she has grown up so fast. I can't believe it." Thinking quickly Joyce called to the ewe. "Yvette, I need you to find out what room they took her mother to. Go now!" Joyce shouted, causing the ewe to jump and rush out. "Yvette, I also want to know what her condition is."

"Mom's…no!" Marie, her eyes suddenly widening as she heard Joyce's words, began breathing rapidly. "But he…how?" Marie started to shout all of a sudden, struggling to raise herself up as she began to mumble.

"Marie!" Joyce called out, quickly raising her paw to her chest, struggling to push her back down. "Please, you need to calm down. You suffered a very bad laceration to the head. Please, we just want to help you."

"No, you don't understand, my mom…he said…danger…he said…she was..." Breathing heavily, feeling her energy drop, Marie rapidly began losing consciousness once again. Turning toward Joyce, her heart beating rapidly, she grasp tightly onto Joyce's smock. The last of her strength rapidly depleting, Marie lowered her head back down as her paws, one after the other, fell down onto her chest as blackness consumed her.

"She looks so much like her grandmother, doesn't she, Grey?" Marie listened once again as she slept, finding herself lying once again along the sidewalk. "Yeah she does, minus her mother a little." Marie listened as a deep unknown voice quickly answered back. Tossing her head along her pillow, Marie watched as blurred faces began to cross her line of sight. An elderly grey fox, turning towards her and slowly approaching, stared back with his light green eyes. Leaning down next to her, Marie watched him closely and noticed how his friendly smile began to warm her within. It was at that moment Marie suddenly heard a voice slowly begin to whisper near her. Unable to explain who was speaking to her, Marie simply watched as the elderly fox continued to smile back at her as the words became louder. "Marie…honey, I need you to wake up now."

Waking suddenly, Marie raised her head off her pillow and felt her head erupt into pain. Raising a paw to her forehead and breathing rapidly, she unexpectedly felt with the tips of her fingers what seemed to be a tightly woven bandage along her head. Slowly scanning along the hospital room, her eyes coming into focus, Marie felt fear slowly began to overtake her. Lowering her eyes to her right wrist, noticing an IV in her paw, she slowly began turning her body slightly, lowering her legs off the bed. Wearing a light blue hospital gown, Marie felt a slight tug to her chest as she began to hunch over the bed. Marie, laying her paw across her chest and lowering her eyes, felt two heart monitor leads attached. Turning her head, her ears raised, she listened and watched as a slight beep continued to echo on a small monitor on the opposite side of her bed. Turning her head back around, closing her eyes, she watched as the face of the mysterious grey fox still reflected back at her. Her mind replaying the images from the recent interactions along that deserted street, Marie listened as her mind suddenly replayed an unknown deep voice. "What about her mother, she is just as in much danger as this one is." Opening her eyes quickly, Marie suddenly yelled out, remembering her last few words before falling unconscious again in the ER. "Mom!" Rising suddenly from her bed, weak and unbalanced, she caught hold of her IV pole stand and felt her head collide with the wall along the side of her bed. Collapsing onto the floor in pain, Marie felt as the heart monitor leads ripped from her chest, setting off the hospital bed alarm. Yelling out loud, the side of her head erupting into pain she watched, her vision burred slightly as the door to room burst open rapidly. Raising her head toward the oncoming figure and clutching her head, she suddenly called out, "Joe!"

"Nurse, I need help in here now!" Joseph Hindquarter, his face pale, rushed into the room, dropping quickly to the floor beside Marie. "It's alright Marie, we got you." A dark female wolf arriving seconds later quickly rushed toward the alarm console next to the bed, silencing it.

"Mom…Joe, where is my mom?" Marie, blinking rapidly, called out as she grabbed onto Joseph shoulder. "Please."

"Sir, we need to get her back into bed." the female wolf called out, suddenly bending down next to the pair. "She is too weak to be out…."

"Fran…" Joseph turned to the nurse. "She needs to see her mother. After what both of them have been through today, how can it hurt either of them?" Staring into Fran's eyes, pleading, Joseph watched as the nurse began to struggle internally with the orders given to her by Doctor Meerburg and the words Joseph was saying. "Tell Doctor Meerburg I took her. I will take full responsibility for her.

Taking a deep sigh, looking at Marie with her sorrowful eyes also then back Joseph, Fran slowly smiled at him. "Alright, help me set her back on the bed and I will go grab a wheel chair."

"Thanks Fran." Joseph replied back, looking at her. "I'll owe you one."

"Oh, yes you will." Fran replied back. "I think dinner and a movie will cover it." Fran looked quickly at Joseph. "You're paying." Lowering Marie carefully back onto the bed and disconnecting her IV line, Fran quickly dashed out of the room and towards the nurses' station. Returning moments later, wheel chair in hand, Fran, with the help of Joseph, helped Marie as she positioned herself in the chair.

"Joe, what happened to my mom?" Marie asked, after some moments of silence as they traveled along the hospital's many corridors. "Why is she here?"

"The doctors haven't really told us. She is just down the way here." Joseph replied back as he walked behind her pushing her along. "From what your father told me, she collapsed in her office in front of him, Chief Higgins and Wolford.

"Where's dad now?" She asked turning her head back. "Is he with mom?"

"No, most likely he is at the precinct going over the evidence from the crime scene." Joseph, taking a deep breath, lowered his eyes as he continued to push Marie. "He sent Chelsey over to your house as we were wrapping up to get Leo to bring him to the precinct. Chief Higgins was here with your mother since her arrival. When I came in with you, he told me to remain on station and update him and your father every couple of hours." Coming to a stop, Joseph looked around the corridor and watched as a couple of nurses walked by before slowly opening a door with the number plate A113 on his left. Peering into the room, Joseph, pushing his back along the door, slowly began pulling Marie inside the room.

Catching sight of her mom lying asleep on the bed, Marie felt the sudden urge to jump out of the chair and rush toward her. Joseph, pushing her up just shy of Judy's bed rail, turned his head back around toward the now open door. The light of the corridor flooded into the darken room.

"Joe, can you bring me around to the other side?" Marie whispered softly.

"Sure. Why?" He replied back, pushing her around the foot of the bed.

"I just want to lie beside her for a while. I just have this feeling I need to right now." Marie, extending her arm out, brushed her paw lightly along her mother's grey foot as she went by. With the help of Joseph, Marie slowly positioned herself next to her mother's small frame.

"Are you going to be alright for a while?" Joseph asked, looking at the two females lying next to one another. "I should call the precinct and let them know you are awake."

Raising her head slightly, Marie watched as he slowly began to roll the empty wheel chair to the corner of the room. "I'll be fine and, Joe…thank you."

"Your welcome sweetie, just try and rest a little more, ok." And with that Joseph, closing the door behind him, disappeared from sight.

Lowering her head back down, Marie watched in the now dark room as her mother continued to sleep. Her head tilted towards her, Marie watched as her mother's noise twitched slightly as she breathed deeply and slowly. Moving her body closer, softly and carefully, she positioned her muzzle over her mother's head and along her own neck line. Wrapping her now IV line free paw around and along her mother's back, Marie breathed a sigh of comfort as a few tears slowly fell along her cheek as she cradled her mom in her arms. "I love you mom." She whispered softly next to Judy's ear, as her tail curled up around them. Closing her eyes, Marie smiled as sleep began to overtake her.

 ** _Precinct Three, Homicide_**

"Dad…Dad!" Leo suddenly called out as he entered squad room. Leaning forward slightly and entering his father's office, Leo steadied himself as he breathed heavily from running.

Nick, lost in his thoughts as he reread the responding officer's report that was first on the scene to his daughter, suddenly looked up as he watched his son enter. Rising from his chair, quickly taking off a pair of small reading glasses, Nick, a look of concern crossing his face, braced himself as he held his breath.

"Dad, Joe just called Chief from the hospital. He wanted to tell us Marie is awake and is lying down with mom." Leo, raising himself to full height, looked back at his father.

"Thank god." Nick, collapsing in his chair, breathed a sigh of relief as he covered his face with both paws. "Alright Leo, I need you to tell Chelsey and the new guy..." Nick, lowering his paws, his mind racing now from the news, simply looked back at his son with blank eyes. "Dan…Daniel."

"David?" Leo answered back quickly.

"David…yes, that is it. They should be down in the forensics lab with Lambert. Tell them we are heading over to hospital after we go home and change. I'll go and bring the car around and meet you out front." Rising from his chair, Nick circled his desk and grabbed his coat from an empty chair near him. Grasping his son's shoulder, he noticed a worried expression cross his son's face as they walked through the empty squad room. Stopping his son, he quickly embraced him, holding on to him for a few seconds. "She'll be alright, Leo." Nick said, letting go of him. "If there is one thing I know about Wilde females, it's that they are made of strong material."

"Just like us male Wildes, right dad?" Leo replied, in a macho voice, grinning back at his father.

Nick, placing a paw back on his son's shoulder again, looked seriously into his son's eyes. "Son, I'm not going to lie to you." Nick suddenly dropped his paw and turned immediately towards the door, walking out of squad room as he began to smile widely.

"What…Dad, come on!" Leo shouted back to his father a few second later as laughter erupted from the hallway. Rushing to catch up to his father, Leo lightly punched his father on his shoulder as he caught up with him. Wrapping their arms over each other's shoulders, Nick and Leo continued to laugh as they both walked toward a set of elevators.

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

Crawling slowly up and along the outer edges of the hospital, the new morning sunlight began illuminating within the many corridors and rooms of the hospital. Nick and Leo, slowly making their way along one of the corridors, stopped suddenly just outside of room A113. Nick, turning his attention toward a row of three armless chairs, found Joseph lying across all three of them, stirring slightly as he slept on. Lowering himself to Joseph's flickering ear Nick called out, "Joseph!"

Jumping slightly, falling off the chairs and on to the floor, Joseph rose quickly, starring around the corridor before catching sight of Nick. "Captain, I'm sorry, I just dosed off and…"

"Joseph." Nick spoke, stopping him. "Go home and get some rest."

"Are you sure? I don't mind staying." He replied back.

"Go home, you've done enough. And Joseph…" Nick stopped as he moved closer to the Judy's room. "Thanks for watching after Judy and Marie. You're a good friend, Joseph." Turning toward Judy's door, Nick slowly opened the door and peered in. Entering the small room, Nick and Leo walked up to the hospital bed as the Wilde females slept.

"Now that is cute and adorable, dad." Leo said in a low whisper to his father, smiling as he stood back, observing his mother and sister.

"Yeah it is." Nick replied. "Seeing your mother like this reminds me of a time when you two were still crawling and chewing on the furniture." Nick laughed suddenly before changing his expression suddenly. "After your godfather promoted your mother to captain, I was offered a lieutenant's opening in the only homicide unit, at the time, in Zootopia. The city's homicide rate was reaching new levels, so I accepted the post. During this one real bad investigation, a mammal we were tracking…Jackson I think was the mammal's name." Nick, leaning along the side wall, looked up at his son. "This guy, we never knew how, somehow had gotten the home addresses of everyone in the unit, threating our families. The ZPD went into full lock down, but your mother and I were less intimidated. Then, a few weeks after the threat started, after visiting your grandparents in Bunny Borrow, we came home to find a warning waiting for us in front of the door. Your mother, fearing what could happen to you two..." Nick looked back at Judy, taking a deep breath. "I would come home late at night and I would find your mother sometimes, asleep in bed, just like that, holding the two of you close to her, her side arm close by bed. I would just sit along the side of bed and watch all three of you sleeping for a while."

"You do know that sounds kind of creepy, right dad?" Leo laughed.

"When you have kits of your own, you'll understand." Nick replied back happily.

"What ever happened to the guy, Jackson?" Leo asked

"He died two months later, shortly after a raid we were conducting on a hideout of his. Shot my sergeant as he tried to escape. After we cornered him down an alley way a few block away, he killed himself. My sergeant at the time, before Joseph, was this old polar bear by the name of Philip Upernavik. Philip died at the hospital while still in surgery. His young son, Philip Jr., joined the ZPD almost five years ago. He is a chip off the old block, Jr., and a good officer." Turning to face his son, Nick, his mind searching for the right words, simply lowered his head shorty before addressing Leo again. "Leo, I know you know what the risks are in joining the ZPD. But I just want you to be sure you are really ready for what this job entails and the full risks."

"I know dad." Leo, catching his father's eye, turned to his mother. "You and mom have done so much for this city, I just what to help keep it safe and make you and mom proud."

Stepping forward and embracing Leo, Nick brushed along the top of Leo's head as he leaned toward his ear. "The greatest honor your mother and I have in this whole world, Leo, is having you and your sister as our children. You make us the proudest parents, each and every day, Leo. Always remember that."

Releasing Leo, Nick rubbed his eyes quickly and sniffed slightly as he made is way along the hospital bed. Quietly lowering the bed rail, he slowly knelt down along the bed. Slowly leaning over and kissing the side of Judy's head, Nick watched as Judy gently stretched, her face turning over her shoulder. Watching her eyes slowly open, he smiled back at her as their eyes met. "Hey there cottontail, miss me?" Nick whispered as he kissed her lightly on the nose.

"Nick?" Judy, blinking, suddenly felt her eyes begin to water. "Oh…Nick." Turning her whole body, she raised a shaking paw toward his muzzle before suddenly clutching onto him, sinking her face deep into his chest. Turning her now teared soaked face to the side, she breathed a sigh as she smiled at her son standing beside Nick.

"Judy." Nick whispered softly into her ear. "Look behind you."

Slowly, turning her head around, clutching ever tighter onto Nick, her eyes fell on Marie, still sleeping soundly beside her, curled up. "Marie." Judy spoke weakly out loud. Releasing Nick, raising herself shakenly to her knees, she turned, still crying, as she lowered a paw down and along her daughters head.

Marie, stirring slightly, opened both of her eyes slowly before slowly raising a paw to her mother's wet face. Her face was quivering as she tried to hold back her own tears. She looked at her mother and simply said, "Hi, mom." Both females, at that moment, simply losing all control, suddenly broke down and embraced each other.

Leo, standing next to his father, feeling his own eyes begin tearing up, continued watching his mother and sister. Rushing towards his mother, lowering himself onto the bed, he wrapped his arms tightly around his mother. Judy, wrapping her own arm around Leo, slowly raised it up and brushed his ears, kissing him softly on the head before lowered her own head onto his. Nick, taking a seat on the bed behind Judy, brushed her long drooping ears. Judy, letting go of Leo, raised a shaking paw back towards Nick. Nick, lowering himself, felt her paw began rubbing the side of his face. Nick kissed her gently on the top of her head as Judy raised her head skyward and both looked into each other's eyes. In one voice, both of them inches from one another, whispered softly to one another, "I love you" before kissing.


	8. Questions Without Answers

Chapter Seven – Questions Without Answers

 ** _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_**

"Mom?" Opening the door to her parents' bedroom, Marie slowly leaned her head into the spacious room. Her eyes, traveling along the room's interior, quickly came to rest on her mother's outline. Judy was curled up along the side of the bed, lying on her left side. Sighing as she continued to stare at her, Marie smiled as she shook her head from side to side. Pressing lightly onto the door and opening it wider Marie quietly entered the room carrying with her a small tray. Reaching the side of the bed where her mother slept and placing the small tray on the side bedside table, Marie gently sat down next to her. Reaching out with her paw, she lightly began to shake her mother. "Mom, you need to wake up."

Opening her eyes slowly, catching sight of her daughter, Judy felt herself smile as she blinked, raising herself off her fluffy bed pillows. "Did I oversleep again? What time is it?"

"It's just a little past one in the afternoon." Marie answered back, shifting herself so her mother could readjust herself. "You need to take your medication."

Glancing once again up at Marie before turning her attention to her bedside table, Judy sighed at the all too familiar tray. "Marie, honey…I told you, you don't need to keep doing this ok. I'm fine; the doctors say I'm fine, I can fend for myself. It's just Chief Higgins who seems to be more concerned about it; otherwise, I should be back at work doing something." Judy, reaching over to the tray which held two pieces of toast and small glass of carrot juice, grabbed a small plastic case holding some pills in it.

"Mom." Marie, looking at her mother with concern, reached out and grabbed the glass of carrot juice. "Everyone says you need to take it easy for a while. Even dad thinks you should be…"

"I'll deal with that shifty fox in my own way thank you." Judy spoke under her breath as she swallowed two pills and rolling her eyes.

Marie, hearing her mother, rolled her eyes as she turned her head. Judy, having collapsed in her office due to the stresses of the events happing before her and at her age, had caused her primary doctor to become very concerned. Due to her past medical history, when scans of her heart were performed, they found scaring along her right heart valve that was never fully noticed before. Her doctor informed her that the trauma and stress she put herself under at that moment may have caused her heart to react in a negative way.

"What about you, young lady?" Judy spoke to her daughter, now going on the offensive. "Dr. Meerburg was very adamant about you. She gave you strict orders you were not to be moving around so much and needed to rest."

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_** (One week ago)

Notified that morning of Marie regaining consciousness and subsequently taken to her mother's room, Dr. Meerburg felt slightly nervous as she made her way along the hospital hallways. Thinking quickly as to what say, Joyce Meerburg began to remember the last time she had met Judy Wilde. As she began to turn down a hallway Joyce, shifting a large x-ray scan and a clipboard, began reading the last vital readings on Marie. Coming to a stop and entering room 113A, continuing to read Marie's vitals, Joyce suddenly felt herself falter as she raised her eyes up to the scene unfolding in front of her. Stopping suddenly in her tracks the short meerkat inhaled, making a soft squeak, before blurting out, "I'm sorry" before turning around.

Judy, lowering her head as she finished kissing Nick, caught sight of Joyce as she turned to leave. Releasing both her kits and tilting her head slightly to the side Judy quickly stared as the meerkat turned to leave. "Excuse me…but have we met before, your face…seems familiar?" Judy asked in a soft kind voice, still gazing back at her.

Clutching onto door handle, Joyce turned her head back slowly as she looked once more toward Judy and her family. "Yes, Mrs. Wilde, we have." Joyce, letting go of the door handle, turned fully to face the small family as they continued to sit on the bed, all of them now staring back at her. "My name is Dr. Joyce Meerburg. When I received word from the off going nurse that Marie had woken up I was informed she had been moved here to your room. I was asking myself as I was walking down here if you would remember me. We never really spoke you see, that night years ago when you were shot and…" Joyce, catching sight of Nick's gaze back at her, stopped suddenly as she fidgeted with her clipboard. I was in the OR, assisting with your surgery during which you…" Joyce stopping herself again, as she spoke in her mind "crashed on the OR table." Lowering her eyes for a second, she took a deep breath. "I was just a simple OR nurse back then. I had just found out that day I had passed medical school to become a doctor a few hours before you were medevacked here." Joyce continued as a smile started to form looking at Leo and Marie before returning to Judy. "Dr. Frey, who I believe you know well, saw something special in me with the skills and care I was performing. He persuaded me to enroll back into school, taking me under his wing, becoming my mentor. I am now Chief of Surgery here at Zootopian General and I was on duty in the ER last night when they brought your daughter in. I had heard a fellow colleague earlier in the day speaking of you when you had been brought in. When I learned she was your daughter I immediately took responsibility for her and put her under my care due to the seriousness of her injuries. I have to say, she is just as strong as her mother."

"Thank you Dr. Meerburg." Judy started to speak.

Smiling back at the family, Joyce began to walk over to them as she raised the clipboard and x-ray clutched in her paws. "Again, I am sorry for interrupting everyone this morning. I just wanted to run a few simply tests with Marie. Her MRI we took last night showed only minor swelling but I don't think it's anything to really worry about. With injuries like hers, it is very common. Also we found traces of a sedative in her system from the blood tests we ran called midazolam." Hearing this both Nick and Judy quickly turned to one another. "Marie, I'm sorry but I have to ask, do you remember anything about being injected with a needle or something?

Fidgeting slightly as she continued to lie on the bed, Marie began to shake her head slightly. "I am sorry, but I just don't really remember. Just flashes really."

"It's alright, Marie, short term memory loss is a common side effect with this drug when given in certain doses. Removing the dark plastic x-ray from underneath her paper work Joyce raised it to the sun light. As she started to look at the negative, she quickly noticed out of the coroner of her eye that Marie was raising herself slowly off the bed as she gazed toward the x-ray. "Did you want to have a look Marie?" Joyce said, handing the x-ray over to Marie, smiling. Slowly standing up and taking hold of the x-ray, Marie unsteadily walked toward the room's only window, as the sun light beamed through it. Placing the x-ray up against the glass, Marie smiled as she began examining it. Joyce turning toward Judy lowered herself down along the edge of the bed as she watched Marie's behavior.

"She has always been fascinated in the veterinary world, Dr. Meerburg." Judy spoke softly as she began to lean back on her pillows. "Ever since she was a little kit she would treat her brother's cuts and scrapes herself. It was not until this one over here …" Judy motioned toward her son, Leo. "…broke his leg trying to impress some friends by jumping off a high bolder. She treated and reset his leg and then, if you could believe it, carried him on her back, back to house. Since then that all she's thought of doing."

"It sounds like she has all the makings of great doctor one day, Mrs. Wilde." Joyce nodded her head towards Judy. "Marie?" She called softly to Marie as she watched the young vixen run a paw finger along her x-ray. "Could you come over here, please? I just need to check a few things and then I can leave you with your family." Marie was still slightly unsteady as she turned and approached slowly, her arms out slightly from her sides as she walked. Joyce simply smiled. "You can have a seat here dear on the bed." Joyce motioned to Marie, moving to one side.

For a few minutes Joyce had Marie answer simple short questions such as her full name, date and year followed by different levels of pain along her body. After finishing her questions, Joyce began having her perform a few exercises. During one test, Marie felt herself begin to laugh as Joyce held a paw finger up close to her and then away from her. While looking straight ahead, Marie was to touch the tip of her muzzle then touch Joyce's paw finger as she moved it to different spots. All of these tests, Joyce told Marie, were to check her cerebellar function.

 ** _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_**

Raising a paw and brushing the side of her daughters head, Judy simply stared up at her daughter's stitches, now visible on her head. More than week since waking up to Nick and finding Marie lying next to her, Judy was still replaying those moments in the hospital in her mind. Dr. Meerburg, having found no major problems other than the deep cut to her head and slight bruising on and around her body, felt quite sure no lasting damage was done. Dr. Meerburg believed that after adequate rest and time Marie would not suffer any long term problems, but only if she did not overexert herself.

"I just wanted to make sure you ate something." Marie said raising herself off the bed. "You didn't eat this morning."

"Alright, but please, you need to go lie down." Judy spoke as she threw the blanket she was using off herself as she stretched one of her legs out. "I'm going to take a quick shower then go into my office up here for a while." Setting her feet firmly on the floor, Judy raised herself off the bed. "Now listen young lady, I do not want to see or hear you moving about this house for a few hours." Judy gave Marie a stern look. "And if I see you carrying another tray up here I swear, your butt will be so…"

"Mom, really?" Marie raised her brow slightly. "I think I am just a little too old and bigger…" Marie started to say before Judy interrupted.

"Not to me you are not, young lady. Never judge a mammal by their size, honey." Judy laughed suddenly remembering her academy days as she walked toward the master bathroom. "I can call Lt. Hornbeery over in the Rainforest District right now. He can tell you just how fast I knocked him out in the boxing ring when we were both at the academy together." Judy, stopping for a split second, gave her daughter one final look over her shoulder before turning and entering the bathroom.

 ** _Precinct Three, Homicide_**

"Captain." Officer Chelsey Pawler cleared her throat as she held onto two file folders and stopped just inside of Nick's office. "We just got back the information on the paw print from the dead male wolverine we found next to Marie. The lab downstairs is still working on the clothing and stuff, but they gave us what they have in the small amount of time they had. Also the M.E. confirms death was by a single gun shoot to the side of the head. Wound suggests distance was around eight to twelve feet."

Nick, setting down a crime scene photo, reached out for one of the files as Chelsey placed one in his open paw. Opening the file Nick quickly began to read it. "William Boris, aka Billy, age 20, home residence 4421 Cringle Lane, Tundra District." Nick, glancing down at the suspect's most recent mug shot, simply stared at the two photos on the page. "Now there is a face only a mother could love." Nick, shaking his head slightly, turned over the next few pages before looking back up at Chelsey. "My own police record at age twenty back then was nothing compared to this one." Nick, quickly running his paw finger down the list of offenses, began to read out loud. "This wolverine has everything from robbery, resisting arrest, arson, all the way to assault with intent to harm or kill. Not even a month ago he was booked on assault with a deadly weapon." Closing the file, Nick dropped it on his desk as he leaned back in his chair. Turning toward a picture on a shelf of Judy and her mother Bonnie, Nick stared up at the photo of the two of them hugging two small baby foxes. "How was this guy even allowed back out on the street?" Nick asked, turning back to Chelsey. "Dose the city have any surveillance on or around that area?"

Chelsey, setting down the other file on the desk, turned as she rushed back toward her desk, grabbing her note pad and opening it as she quickly returned to Nick's office. "I don't think any of us checked on that captain. We were only concentrating on Marie."

Nick got up from his chair and picked up the file folder and handed it back to Chelsey. "I want you and the rookie…" "David, Captain." Chelsey spoke quickly. "…to go over the scene once again. Check for any city cameras, ATMs, business surveillance. There must be at least one camera around there that was watching. Where is Joseph?

"Downstairs in the lab. He said he wanted to wait on the chemical tests from the dead suspects clothing." Chelsey replied.

Lowering himself back down into his chair Nick unknowingly reached out and picked up the photo he was examining before Chelsey entered his office. The photo, taken at night, showed the covered body of a cheetah. Nick, with his keen eye, returned to a grey dark figure standing off to the far side of the picture.

"Captain, are those the photos from a few weeks ago?" Chelsey, noticing her captain's expression, seemed a little concerned.

"Yeah, something caught my eye yesterday when I was going over them. I just keep returning to this grey furred figure." Nick responded, laying the photo on the desk and pointing. Chelsey, walking around Nick's desk, leaned in toward the picture. Nick got out of his chair once again and crossed behind her as he felt himself collapse on the window sill. "When I was there that night I remember for some reason turning toward the crowd and seeing that old grey fox and I just don't know why." Nick took a breath. "It was almost like he was just staring at me. I almost got ran over by a police cruiser due to not paying attention. When I looked back again for the old fox, he was gone. It was if he just disappeared into thin air."

Chelsey, remembering something from that night, raised her head and looked at Nick. "Joseph said something that night. He said something about a warning. Could this grey fox be responsible or have something to do with the cheetah's murder or Marie?"

Rubbing his paw along the top of his head, Nick let out a groan. "I don't know. I just can't wrap my paw around it. I just feel that I've seen that fox before in the past." Nick replied back.

"Hey, captain." A male voice called out as Joseph suddenly entered the office. "We got a hit on the chemical compound on the wolverine's paw and clothing. Turns out it is a medical sedative. One of the lab guys appears to know a lot about it." Nick, hearing this bit of news, suddenly found his mind rewinding to the past week when he was sitting with Judy in the hospital. "The lab guy said the drug is called…"

"Midazolam?" Nick suddenly spoke, remembering Dr. Meerburg speak of it.

"Yeah, that was it, but how did you…" Joseph, his ears rising slightly, just looked back at Nick with a blank expression.

"Dr. Meerburg said in the hospital that they found traces of that drug in Marie." Nick replied back. "Did we find any syringes at the scene?" Nick, noticing the puzzled looks from both Chelsey and Joseph, took another deep breath before raising his voice and saying, "Where are the scene photos and evidence log?"

Both Joseph and Chelsey, making a rush back toward their desks, eyed each other as they began shifting through their paperwork on both desks. "I got it right here captain." Joseph called back quickly as they both returned to the office. "Yes, two were logged." Joseph said grabbing a log sheet and a stack of photos. "One of them appeared to be empty. The other was found under the victim, cracked. It still had the safety sleeve over the needle." Walking up to Nick, still sitting on the window sill, Joseph handed Nick the photos from the crime scene. Joseph, opening a small green folder, handed a sheet of paper over to Nick. "Also, captain, I think you may want to read this. I was also given this report on my way up here. We have confirmation on the body from a few weeks ago…" Joseph paused to steady himself. "…it is Drake Grounder." Nick, looking back at Joseph, felt as if he could not fully move as the words began to soak in. "Captain, I know you hate to talk about it, but I think we need to. I mean, first Drake and now someone tries to kidnap Marie. I just think we…"

Nick, thinking suddenly, got up from the window sill and folded his paws across his chest. Coming to a quick decision he walked over to his desk, dropped the photos on it and grabbed the single photo with the grey fox in it. Turning around rapidly and reaching out with his left paw, he grabbed his coat and stepped out. Turning his head over his shoulder Nick shouted back to both Chelsey and Joseph. "Chelsey, go and recanvas Hoper Street with David and find me something. Joseph, you're coming with me."

"But…Captain…. where are we going?" Joseph called out as he watched Nick turn and approach the squad room door.

"Tundra Town!" Nick shouted back. "I need to talk to an old friend." as he turned down the hallway, the photo still clutched in his paw.


	9. Questions Remain

Chapter Eight– Questions Remain

 ** _1326 Denis Street – Downton Zootopia_**

"What the hell?" Leo said as he began to approach the front door, pulling his ear buds out and reaching into his pocket for his house key. His ears lowered slightly, he turned around and glanced quickly at the quiet neighborhood. Turning back to the front door, he tilted he head slightly to one side. Along one of the white frosted planes of glass running vertically next to the front door, a white envelope simply hung there, taped to the glass. Reaching out and removing it from the glass, Leo stared at it as he felt the contents inside. Across the face of the envelope written in dark ink were the words "Miss Marie Wilde". Opening his messenger bag, Leo quickly dropped the letter in into it before unlocking the door and opening it, taking one final look back toward the street before entering. "Mom…Marie, I'm home!" Leo called out as he closed the front door, dropping his messenger bag on the floor. Raising his ears, staring along the foyer, Leo listened as he quickly looked into the dining room and through into the living room. Glancing up toward the second floor as he began to step forward, he crossed quickly along the tiny foyer and into the kitchen. Grabbing the handle to the fridge Leo opened it, lowering himself as he began searching its contents. Withdrawing his arm, a can of soda now clutched in his paw, he closed the fridge door and turned back to the foyer while popping the soda can open.

"What have I told you about leaving your school bag all over the floor?" Judy, her paws folded across her chest, looked up at her son as he was just about to take a drink, her left foot tapping nosily to the side.

"Sorry mom, I just wanted to get something to drink, that's all." Leo replied before raising the can of soda to his muzzle and taking a gulp. "Where is Marie? I got all of her assignments from her teachers."

"She's upstairs in her room." Judy replied as she moved aside to allow her son through, her arms still folded.

"No I am not, mom." Marie called out as she descended the stairs.

"Ah good, now I don't have to take all of this trigonometry and other garbage to you." Leo spoke as he walked over to his school bag, leaning down and removing a folder full of papers.

"Spell trigonometry, hair ball." Marie suddenly called back crossing her arms across her chest like her mother, her left brow raised.

"T-r-i-g…up your tail." Leo answered back thrusting the folder at Marie.

"That's enough, both of you!" Judy yelled out, slapping Leo in the back of the head.

"Ow! Mom!" Leo cried out as he lowered himself again and began to rub the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"Go put your stuff away, both of you." Judy replied in a stern voice, looking at both her two kits. "Marie, come back down and help me with dinner." Judy spoke again, turning around and walking into the kitchen. Slowing to a complete stop as she entered the kitchen, she glanced over her right shoulder. Watching Marie, wearing a smirk on her face quickly begin to climb the stairs, Judy caught sight of Leo and her eyes suddenly began to water with regret as she listened to the mumbles coming from her son. Alone now in the foyer, Leo continued to rub the back of his head and mumble something under his breath as he bent down to grab his bag off the floor.

"Why am I always the one who…" Leo started to speak out loud as he shuffled a few pieces of paper back into his bag. Feeling a soft paw suddenly brush along the side of his face, Leo raised his head rapidly up and found his mother looking back at him.

"I am sorry Leo." Judy whispered softly into his ear, turning his head towards her planting a soft kiss to his forehead and then cheek.

"Thanks mom." Leo replied softly as he slowly embraced his mother, giving her a quick squeeze before returning to full height and climbed up the stairs. Reaching the second landing, Leo noticed Marie now standing along the railing edge. Leo, passing by her, watched as she now leaned up along the hallway wall.

"I saw that, mama's boy." Marie jokingly spoke as a smirk crossed her face, her arms folded across her chest once more.

"Whatever, second born." Leo replied as he turned to his right and entered his room, laughing back at her.

"Only by a second, Leo." Marie called back, dropping her arms to her sides as she leaned forward slightly. Turning quickly she proceeded to walk back down the stairs, her smirk now gone.

Leo walked over to his disorganized desk and glanced at the posters of his favorite rock bands covering the walls to his room. Placing his bag down on the chair and glancing over towards the bed with the sheets strewn everywhere, Leo let out a slight yawn. Removing his school books and folders he quickly tossed his school bag off to the side. Feeling something brush the top of his right foot Leo lowered his head as he felt himself collapse onto his chair. Staring down at the wooden floor Leo suddenly noticed the white envelope he had taken off the front of the house lying there on the ground. Bending down and picking it up, Leo, sighing quickly turned and exited his room, the envelope clutched in his paw. "Hey, Marie." Leo called out into the kitchen as he entered it once again. "This was taped by the front door as I was about to come in." Leo, dropping the envelope on the counter, reached out and grabbed a few pieces of cut celery next to Marie as she stopped cutting to look at the envelope. Passing his mother, he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Thank you." Marie called out, setting down the knife and picking up the envelope.

"What is it?" Judy asked, turning to her daughter, as she placed a small package of chopped beetles down next to a skillet.

"I don't know, it just has my name on it. It looks like it was handwritten." Marie replied as she inserted a claw nail into it and began to tear along the top of the envelope. Opening the envelope she withdrew two thick folded pieces of paper. Her eyes quickly glancing up to the top upper left corner of the paper, Marie suddenly held her breath as she felt herself suddenly lose feeling in her feet. Stamped there, no bigger than a half dollar coin, a round green circle with a figure within it stared back at her. The figure, a male lion, shown dressed in what looked to be a cloak, had his head bowed as he held a paw across his chest. Along the outside edge of the circle wrapping around it, Marie read the all too familiar latin words she had come to memorize, 'eos tueri infirmos et laesi mori' _(Safeguard them, the weak, injured and dying)_. Slowly, lowering her eyes as both her paws began to tremble, she began to read.

 _Dear Ms. Marie Wilde;_

 _In each milestone in our lives, we are each asked to stop and remember the accomplishments we have achieved in our ever pursuit of learning. I must ask of you to yet again stop and remember this day. On behalf of Dean Harriet Hamlock and distinguished staff members, I am pleased and honored in awarding you full admission into St. Francis of Assisi Medical College, 2034 freshman class. Congratulations!_

Immediately letting out a high pitch scream, Marie began to jump up and down on the kitchen floor. Clutching the letter in her paw, Marie, shaking with utter excitement, turned to her mother as she began rereading the letter out loud. Judy, listening intensively, felt as her heart suddenly erupted with delight as she immediately rushed to her daughter and clutched her tightly, both female Wildes now celebrating the wonderful news.

"What the devil is going on in there?" Leo called out, suddenly reentering the kitchen and catching sight of his mother and sister jumping into the air, clutching one another.

Judy, turning around quickly, simply beamed back at Leo. "Marie got in, she got into St. Francis." Turning back to Marie, Judy clutched at her heart. "Honey, I am so happy for you. Oh my god, your father will be so happy when he hears about this."

Leo, beaming back at his sister, suddenly lowered his eyes as he noticed a sheet of paper lying on the floor next to Judy. Walking over next to his mother and sister as they continued to celebrate, he bent down and picked up the paper. Leo, his smile rapidly beginning to fade as he read the piece of paper, felt a strong sense of uneasiness suddenly overtake him. "Mom?" Leo called out to his mother as he reread the paper once again. "Mom, you really need to read this, right now."

Judy, hearing the tone coming from her son's voice, turned as she began to stare at her son and then of paper in Leo's paws. "What is it?" Judy, her ears falling suddenly, reached out lightly and grabbed the paper from Leo. Opening the sheet fully, she started to read.

 _Miss Wilde, we are pleased to inform you that your registration and entrance fees payment have been fully processed and entered into the school's system as of the date of this letter. By the request of an anonymous alumni benefactor a fund has been set up in your name. The undisclosed amount in this fund will allow for you to complete your full six academic years with no added cost to you or your family. Your first year has now been approved and processed by our financial department. We wish to also inform you that a student account has been activated and funds are now available in this account for your own personal use. Please stop by our financial department at you earliest convenience in order to pick up your SFMC money card. Once again, congratulations and welcome future Alumni to St. Francis Medical College._

Judy, finishing the letter, raised her head as she looked at Leo and then to Marie.

"Mom, what is it? Is there something wrong?" Marie, her face suddenly showing concern, simply stood there as both her brother and mother continued to stare at her.

"I need to call your father, right now." Judy said suddenly.

 ** _3102 Sven Court – Tundra Town_**

"Captain, are you sure about this?" Joseph mumbled as his right paw started to fidget as it rested along the passenger side door. "I mean…well it's just that he is..."

"Joseph, just shut up and do not say a word when we get in there." Nick, turning to look at Joseph for a second, turned quickly back toward the road. Slowing down as he began to steer the car along the short snow covered road, both listened as the snow crunched underneath the car's tires. Stopping just shy of a heavy chain stretching across a rather large drive path, Nick lowered his head as his paws clutched tightly to the outer edges of the steering wheel.

"Captain?" Joseph's voice suddenly called out unsteadily. Dressed in a dark suite and emerging from a small dark building, a giant polar bear slowly began to walk towards the unmarked police car. Joseph, moving his right paw down and towards his side arm, suddenly felt a paw reach out towards him.

Quickly noticing Joseph as his paw dropped toward his side arm, Nick eyed him mercilessly as he clutched on to him. "Joseph." Nick spoke out of the corner of his muzzle, turning his attention back toward the approaching polar bear. "If you do or say one wrong thing, I swear, I will have your tail busted down and will personally reassign to parking duty, permanently! Do we understand each other?"

"Yes sir."

Releasing his paw, Nick slowly began to lean onto the drive side door, opening it, as he stepped out into the cold air. "Cid, hey there big guy, long time no see." Nick smiled, waiting a few seconds for a response as the polar bear stopped just shy of the car, not saying a word but glaring down at him. Joseph, still shaking slightly, slowly opened his door and began to exit the car as he watched the polar bear named Cid continue to stare at Nick. "You're right…no small talk, just to the point, got it." Nick spoke again, his smile faltering. "I just need a few minutes with him, that's all." Growling deeply, Cid turned to face Joseph and then back to Nick. Turning around, Cid walked slowly back toward the long chain as it stretched out before them. Unhooking the chain from a stone pillar, he slowly stepped back slightly, creating a small gap as he continued to hold the chain in his massive paws.

"Well that went well." Nick whispered as he began to walk toward the large polar bear, Joseph extremely close behind him. Passing Cid, both stopping just beyond the front drive, Nick glanced up at the all too familiar large Italian style villa, its rooftops covered in a deep layer of snow. "Joseph, when we get in there I want you to stay outside of the office. The guard will not do anything to you as long as you don't give them a reason." Taking a step forward Joseph followed Nick as the two of them slowly walked up toward the large house front door.

"Nicky…oh my god! It is so nice to see you again." The high shrieking voice of Fru Fru, Mr. Big's daughter, called out as both Nick and Joseph were being escorted toward a single large wood door. Carried in the palm of a rather short young polar bear, Fru Fru smiled back as she waved toward Nick.

"Hi, Fru." Nick called to the female shrew as he stopped just shy of them. "How is little Judy?"

"Oh god, she is doing so well. You would not believe what I heard her talking about with her father the other day. Little Judy wants to put her application in to the police academy." Fru Fru replied waving her hand. "God, can you believe it, my own daughter? How are Judy and the kits?"

Nick, lowering his head slightly, looked toward Joseph before looking back at Fru Fru. "Not so good Fru, Someone tried to abduct Marie a week ago near downtown, and Judy collapsed in her office while the abduction was taking place. Both are fine…" Nick held out his paws quickly as the look on Fru Fru face caused him lean closer to her. "…they're recovering at home now.

"Oh Nicky, I'm so sorry." Fru Fru replied, clasping her tiny hands to her face in complete shock. "If there is anything you need, Nicky, please let me or my husband Kevin know." Fidgeting with her hands Fru Fru looked down at her feet. "Oh god, little Judy is going to be so worried when I tell her this news of her godmother." Turning toward the large wooden door she turned back to Nick. "I won't keep you, Nicky, just take care of yourself and the family, you hear?"

"Thanks, Fru." Nick replied as he watched the small shrew being carried away. Turning his attention back to the large wooden door, Nick and Joseph simply stood there, standing along an ornate hallway. Taking a deep breath, Nick, his feet feeling somewhat heavier than normal, approached the large door facing them. Standing just to the left of the door another polar bear, this one wearing a dark colored jogging suit, stood staring back at the two of them. "Raymond…old buddy…how are things? Did you lose some weight, you look good."

"Shut it!" Raymond suddenly spoke, his voice sounding surprisingly high for a polar bear. Reaching out with his left paw Raymond turned on the door handle, opening it inward.

 ** _Lambert Arms Motel – Meadowlands District_**

"What are we going to do with that young lion, James?" Grey Arbor called out as he paced along the small motel room.

James, shifting slightly in a chair he was sitting in turned toward the aged grizzly bear. "What is his condition? Sean was his name, right?"

"Stable, but I don't know what else we can get out of him." Grey replied, turning to face James. "I mean, it's been over a week and we both know he is not as strong as the others we have dealt with in the past. All the information you retrieved from him all checked out. Everything seems to be pointing to her."

Lowering himself onto the room's small bed, Grey continued to stare at the aged fox sitting in the corner. "James, I think it's time I just come out and say it. Drake Grounder had many faults; both of us knew this too well, the kind of mammal he was. Was it not me who told you that more than likely he would go back to them after we let him go? James, look at me!" Grey suddenly raised his voice slightly, noticing James' head turned toward the window. "He did not deserve to die like that, thrown into the street like a piece of garbage. We owed him more than that to let that happen to him."

"What else could we have done, Grey?" James suddenly yelled back. "Neither you nor I made him go see Ruskoff after that night!" James, rising from his chair, walked over toward a small refrigerator by the room's chest of drawers. "I told him that night not to. I told him to disappear, Grey." James raised a paw to the back of his head as he slowly began to rub the back of his neck. "What do you think Sean will do if we let him go?"

Grey, raising his chin somewhat, closed his eyes as his mind began to search for an answer. Opening them, Grey simply looked back at him. "I don't know." Letting out a deep breath, he raised himself off the bed. "Either we let him go or turn him over to the ZPD. But either way, if you look at it, he is more likely to tell one or the other. He will be a liability to Ruskoff, which also means he is dead as soon as we…drop him…off." Grey, suddenly noticing James, stopped talking as he moved toward him. James, walking back towards the window, suddenly clutched his head as he leaned up against the closed curtains. "What is it?" Grey called out.

"I don't know, I just…had this sudden feeling, as if something terrible was about to happen." James replied. "I could have sworn I heard a voice in my head suddenly shout out."

 ** _3102 Sven Court – Tundra Town_**

"I can assure you, Nicky, that what happen to your daughter or this Drake mammal you speak of was not done by anyone of my men nor from the organization." Mr. Big spoke, sitting in his chair, as he turned his head to the left and right eyeing each of the polar bears around him. "The other members know never to intrude on the ground rules laid out by me and the family." Closing his eyes, Mr. Big leaned back slightly in his tiny chair as he returned his gaze back to Nick. "Little Marie is becoming so much like her grandmother, Nicky. I can still remember vividly your mother and her kindness towards my family. Grandmamma was always the happiest when enjoying her company."

"Sir, there is one other thing." Nick stopped speaking as he watched Mr. Big turn toward the picture of his grandmother. "I need your help identifying someone. I noticed him at the crime scene involving Drake, over a week ago. It was if he was looking right at me." Nick, reaching down into his coat pocket, suddenly withdrew from it a folded photo. Laying it down upon on the desk and quickly unfolding it, Nick turned it towards Mr. Big. "Did this mammal…" Nick quickly pointed down at the photo. "…here, ever work for you? It's as if I knew him from somewhere."

Mr. Big, leaning down as he gazed at the large photo, felt himself falter as he quickly stood up out of his chair. Coming to a halt, standing on his own two feet, he simply continued to stare down at the photo of the grey haired fox looking back at him. "Is it possible?" Mr. Big quickly whispered out loud. Turning to the group around him he suddenly called out in a carrying tone, "Everyone get out, now!" Nick, feeling a sudden sense of uneasiness, turned as he watched each of the polar bears exit the room without uttering a single word. As he waited for the door to close, Mr. Big turned away from the photo. "After all this time, he's come back." Mr. Big spoke, walking back to his chair and taking a seat again.

"Who?" Nick, his eye's transfixed on the small artic shrew as he rested his head on his small fingers.

"The ghost Nicky, the ghost came back." Mr. Big replied again pointing his tiny finger back at Nick. "Your…father, Nicky."

As both Nick and Joseph slowly made their way back to the car, Joseph, turning to glace at Nick, felt a sense of uneasiness as they passed Cid once more along drive path. "Captain, what happened in there?

"Nothing, Joseph, just get into the car." Nick replied, stopping suddenly, taking a deep breath as he turned again and looked back at the large house. "It's just, how…?" Nick started to speak as a loud ring suddenly began to erupt from within his pants pocket. Reaching into his left pocket and withdrawing his cell phone, Nick quickly looked down at it. Staring back at him was a photo of Judy dressed in a slender witches outfit taken during a costume party. Nick, suddenly forgetting his troubling thoughts, smiled as the memory of Judy wearing that slightly revealing costume as they danced together at the party. Swiping across his phone's screen, he quickly raised the phone to his ear, "Hey, carrots."

In that moment, as a loud echoing crack suddenly split the air around Nick he unexpectedly felt himself fall backwards, as if being punched in the upper chest. Falling heavily to the ground, gasping for air, Nick raised his head slightly and grasped at his chest as he tried to breathe air into his lungs. Lowering his head onto the snow covered street Nick desperately tried to breathe once again as he felt the cold begin to pierce him. Struggling to hear the sounds emanating close to him he turned his head to one side. Joseph, hearing the single shot, suddenly sprang from the safety of the car and crouched close to the ground. His gun now drawn, quickly scanning along the homes and snow covered mounds, Joseph turned toward Nick as he lay along the side of the street, calling to him as blood began to stain the snow around him. Still crouching low to the ground, Joseph quickly made a beeline toward him before dropping his gun and grasping him and applying pressure to his upper chest.

"NICK? NICK?" Nick struggled to hear as a female voice suddenly began to shout as he felt himself slowly begin to let go of something in his paw as he lay on the ground. His eyes, turning towards his paw, noticed the cell phone lying on the ground beside him. The cell phone's screen was still illuminating into his eyes and he felt his paw suddenly began to shake. Unable to do anything, Nick simply continued to stare back at it, the photo of Judy smiling back at him, as he began to lose consciousness.

"Damn it, Captain, come on!" Joseph shouted at him, quickly withdrawing a small radio from behind his back. "4941 to dispatch, 10-00, code 3" Joseph, raising his head, looked to left. "3102 Sven Court, Tundra Town! I repeat…10-00, code 3!"


	10. Memories and Wrath

Chapter Nine – Memories and Wrath

 ** _3102 Sven Court – Tundra Town_**

"I am arriving on scene now, sir. Yes, commissioner, I understand." Chief Higgins spoke as he glanced out toward the multitude of uniformed officers. "Stop the car here." Higgins call out, turning to his driver. "It's still too early to say, commissioner. I'll keep you updated as I get more information." Opening the passenger door and quickly stepping out, Higgins, still holding his cell phone, within a matter of seconds quickly found himself suddenly being swarmed by new reporters. Through the magnitude of flashes and yells coming from the group of reporters, Chief Higgins struggled as he closed the passenger side door before turning and gazing at the scene in front of him.

 _"_ _Chief Higgins, do you know what the condition of Officer Wilde is at this time?"_

 _"_ _Chief Higgins, has law and order collapsed in the city? Should the public be worried?"_

"Will someone get these damn reporters out of here?" Higgins shouted suddenly at the top of his lungs, causing two of the reporters to fall back slightly in fear. Turning to two officers close by him, Higgins call out to them, "Get them back, now!" Grabbing one of the officer's hand held radio from his hip, Higgins pressed forward through the crowd before raising it to his mouth, pressing the mic down. "All officers, this is Chief Higgins, I do not, I repeat…do not…want anyone talking to the press until further notice. I want all lead officers on scene to report to me immediately." Lowering the hand held radio and dropping it to the ground, Higgins' eyes suddenly fell on a mass of blood surrounded by surgical wrappings and gear, strewn all over the thick snow. Stopping dead in his tracks, he simply just stood there, unable to look away. Feeling his phone suddenly vibrate in his other hand, he quickly lowered his head as he stared down at the number on flashing on the screen. Quickly answering it he spoke with a sense of urgency in his tone, "Rhinowitz, tell me you and Wolford have Judy and the kits."

Standing in what appeared to be a hospital room, Nick turned, as he felt his eyes begin to come into focus, scanning around what appeared to be an empty room. Not knowing how or when he had arrived, Nick found himself standing and staring out of an open window. Slowly taking a step forward, Nick, unable to fully grasp what he was actually seeing, felt a cold autumn breeze rush inward through the window. Watching the wind slowly move along the grass field, his gaze slowly moved toward an aged dogwood tree sitting on a hill in the distance.

"Nick, will you stay here with me, until I fall asleep…please?" A low voice suddenly echoed behind Nick, causing him to turn around quickly.

The room, which seconds before was completely empty, Nick now found a hospital bed and what appeared to a younger aged Judy lying across it. Slowly beginning to raise her head, Judy looked in Nick's direction. Nick, unable to utter a single word, simply stood there unable to believe what he was really seeing in front of them. Nick, his mind racing for answers, noticed something move out from of the corner of his of his left eye. Already on the edge of falling, he felt himself collapse as he took a step backwards and stumbled to the ground. Nick, gazing up from the floor, watched as his younger self began to walk casually up to the hospital bed where the young Judy still lay.

"But I'm…Where?" Nick called out in carrying voice, unheard by the two other figures. Mumbling incoherent words as he rose quickly to his feet, his body now shaking, Nick slowly walked toward his younger self and Judy. Looking around the room once again Nick felt as if what he was seeing was impossible. The younger form of Judy, wearing a dirtied pair of blue jeans and her old pink flannel shirt, lowered her head back down on the bed pillow. Her right pants leg, Nick noticing quickly, was rolled up to her knee, showing her long bare grey leg, wrapped up in a bandage. Both Nicks watched as Judy carefully began to stretch the leg out, her short toes expanding out slightly as she slowly lowered it once more onto the mattress.

Nick, his mind suddenly remembering once again turned to himself then back to Judy. "I remember this…but" Nick said suddenly, turning to look at his younger self, wearing khaki pants, green Hawaiian shirt and tie. "But how can I be…"

"This is a ZNN breaking news alert!" A deep male voice suddenly called out. Nick, turning toward a flat screen now hanging along one of the room's walls, watched as a female tiger suddenly appeared. "For those of you just joining us this evening, we have been following this breaking news story since late this afternoon. ZPD officers responding to an urgent call from the Natural History Museum have arrested Mayor Dawn Bellwether. We are still getting more information on this developing story as it continues to unfold." The female new reporter spoke as she continued to gaze out from the screen. "Minutes ago we just heard live from City Hall as a public relations representative spoke to reports immediately following an emergency city council meeting. Council members, in a unanimous vote, have at this hour stripped Mayor Dawn Bellwether officially of all governing powers since her arrest hours ago by the ZPD. Assistant Mayor, Arron Swiner has at this time been given full authority by the city council as the acting mayor. " Quickly turning to a different camera, the female tiger continued to speak. "The exact cause of Mayor Bellwether's arrest by the ZPD is still unknown. Eyewitnesses at the scene and sources close to the ZPD have confirmed to this new agency that former ZPD officer Judy Hopps…" A photo of Judy wearing her uniform suddenly popped up on the screen. "…was reportedly injured at the scene where Mayor Bellwether was arrested along with three security rams. Former ZPD officer Judy Hopps, many of our viewers will remember, helped break the stalled missing mammal investigation a month ago…"

"I just…I just feel like I need someone to hold me for a while." Judy continued, slightly drowsy from the medication the nurse had given her for her leg, reaching behind her and pressing a paw down behind her on the bed.

"Alright carrots, but only until you fall asleep ok, then I'll let you alone to rest." The younger Nick replied as he slowly began to raise himself onto the bed, crawling alongside her. Taking hold of her gently in his arms, Nick watched as his younger self's tail slowly wrapped around Judy's small body. Nick, standing there, felt a sense of sadness beginning to overtake him as he continued to witness this event in front of him. Lowering his head, Nick remembered that moment, recalling the wonderful feeling of Judy's soft paws slowly grasped on to him for the first time. Raising his head back up, Nick watched as Judy's body snuggled up against him, her head now resting on soft fur of his tail. Turning to his younger self once more, Nick watched as he smiled at her and exhaustion from that day's events quickly began to overtake him. "I still remember how sweet she smelled that day, after all these years with her." Nick told himself, still watching the two figures lying there on the bed. "After everything that happened that day, the scent coming off of her was so wonderful, a blend of sweet honey and blueberries." Nick spoke softly as his paws slowly grasped the bed railing, remembering that smell. Lowering his head, Nick quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his paw as he heard his younger self whisper, "Night carrots."

"Pulse is failing!" A male antelope EMT suddenly cried out to the driver up front. "How far out are we?" The antelope called out again. "Ten minutes, maybe less!" the unknown driver called toward the back. "He's going into shock!" the EMT suddenly shouted, quickly noticing Nick's body suddenly start to convulse. "Get us there now!" the EMT shouted as he suddenly grasped on to Nick's body before he felt the body suddenly go limp. All of a sudden, an alarm, emitting a high pitch tone caused the EMT to turn toward a monitor hanging along the interior of the ambulance. "No pulse, charging AED!"

"Dispatch, Rescue 4." The drive suddenly could be heard calling out, from the drivers cab. "Requesting immediate emergency medical team on arrival at Zootopia General, Priority 3, Code Blue."

Closing his eyes, Nick let go of the hospital bed as he suddenly felt himself drop to the floor. Feeling the tears he was desperately trying to hold back fall along his cheeks, Nick felt as if a cold breeze began to engulf him. Opening his eyes, Nick, gasping as he struggled to breathe, found himself suddenly sitting in an autumn field. The sun was shining on his back as it began its decent into the horizon and Nick just continued to stare out into the vast field. Crying out desperately and lowering himself to the ground, he frantically grasped fistfuls of the tall wild grass tightly into each of his paws. Nick, feeling as if his heart ripped in two, ripped from the ground the grass still held in his paws as he leaned back, screaming. Letting go of the grass held tightly in his grip, his paws falling to his sides, Nick dropped his head as tears began to flow endlessly.

"Nicholas!" Nick, his ears suddenly flexing above his head, raised his head as once more the cold autumn breeze began to circle around him. "Nicholas." A familiar female voice called out again as it was carried through the wind. Nick, mumbling wordlessly, turned his head in each direction as he searched desperately along the empty open field. "Where are you?" Nick yelled out, desperately looking for the mammal calling to him as his tears continued to fall.

Noticing an aged dogwood tree in the near distance Nick, as he began to rise slightly up, noticed a slight dark shape suddenly move slowly along the trunk of the tree. Quickly rushing toward it Nick, becoming breathless as he climbed the slight elevation along the hill, stopped as he approached the top of hill. Nick, his heart beating rapidly, watched as its light pink pedals slowly swaying gently to the autumn breeze. Approaching it, its thin dipping limbs dancing uninterrupted to the rhythm of the wind, Nick felt a sense of calming began to fill within him.

"Nicholas." The female voice called out once again. Turning around and gazing out along the wide open field, feeling the sun's warm rays as if piercing him, Nick felt himself slowly lower himself down along the grassy hill. Watching the setting sun slowly descend, the aged dogwood behind him, Nick closed his eyes as he raised his face into the air, breathing in the fresh air.

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

"Let's move, get him out of there!" A middle age dark haired badger yelled as two ER nurses rushed toward the rear ambulance doors. The rear doors suddenly bursting open, the antelope EMT immediately stuck his head out of the door. "Male fox, gunshot wound to the lower chest, heavy trauma and internal bleeding, possible lung collapse." He started to call out as the team removed Nick from the rear cab. "Patent went into cardiac arrest, was able to restart the heart." The EMT called out as a second medical team swarmed the vehicle. "Patent's bpm is currently 86 beats per minutes."

"Alright everyone, get him inside, move!" A middle aged badger called out, grabbing a hold of the medical gurney as the team rushed Nick through a set of sliding doors. "Get him to OR 3 immediately! Heather!" The badger yelled, quickly grabbing onto one of the nurses. "Call downstairs to the blood bank. Tell them in I need platelets and plasma sent up to OR 3 surgical prep, now. Also tell them they will be receiving a priority 1 blood sample from me in next few minutes. I need it matched and at least three pints of that blood sent up."

"Security, to main entrance." A male voice suddenly called out over the loud speaker. "Security, to main entrance!"

"Leo, be careful." Nick, hearing the familiar voice of Judy, suddenly opened his eyes as he turned his head turned to the sound of her voice. Sitting alone on a solitary park bench, Nick watched as a small red fox kit, laughing happily, chased after a small soccer ball.

"I never get tired of watching them play, Nicholas. Not even after all these years, watching them grow up so strong and happy." A female voice spoke to Nick suddenly on his right side.

"M…Mom?" Nick replied in complete shock, suddenly noticing his mother sitting next to him. "Mom…you're…but then…"

"Nicholas, calm down." Marie replied, placing a paw gently on her son's shoulders before moving it to his head as she leaned toward him, kissing him.

"Is this…are you really here?" Nick asked, turning quickly to the grassy area where his other self and Judy sat on a blanket then back to his mother. Turning once again to the family lying on the ground, Nick watched from afar as he saw his daughter Marie, little and lying on the blanket on her back, as Judy played with her.

Laughing slightly, Marie turned to watch her grandkit continue to run about with his ball. "I remember Judy asking me something to that, years ago." Marie answered as she watched Leo miss the soccer ball and fall to the ground. "She told me how much she needed to be with you." Turning her head back to Nick, Marie's smile slowly began to fade. "Nick, look at me." Nick, turning his eyes away from Judy and little Marie, faced his mother as he heard her suddenly tell him, "You're not ready."

"What…what do you mean?" Nick replied as he continued to stare back at to his mother. "For what?"

"This." Marie waved a paw around in the air. "It's not time yet for you, Nicholas." Marie, raising herself and Nick to his feet, embraced him. "Listen to me." Letting go of her son, Marie raised both her paws to his face. "When you see your father, tell him how much I miss him." Marie embraced Nick one final time, kissing his cheek before placing her paw once again on it. "I love you, Nicholas. I love all of you so much."

"But…" Nick replied as he noticed his mother begin to fade from him. "I…" breathing quickly in short breaths, he felt a sudden pain burst in his chest. Nick, his vision suddenly turning completely dark, felt a sudden rush course through his body, as if his chest was suddenly being pulled down.

 _"_ _Commander Wilde…Commander Wilde, will you be taking over this investigation?"_

 _"_ _Mrs. Wilde, do you know what the condition of your husbands is at this time?"_

"Enough!" A thunderous voice suddenly called out as Judy, Leo and Marie struggled through the midst of news cameras as they quickly crossed the threshold leading into the ER. Office Wolford, flashing his two inch canines at the mass of news reporters, suddenly let out a massive growl as he backed in across the threshold himself. His arms held out wide, he turned his head swiftly around and quickly caught sight of three hospital security personnel advancing toward him. Wolford, catching hold of a rather short news reporter suddenly as they rushed forward, he angrily heaved them back into the crowd before yelling at the security officers, "You three, get over here, now!" "Yes sir", one of the security personnel replied shaking slightly as he and his fellow security members approached Wolford.

Wolford, turning his head toward Marie and Leo as both of them clutched Judy, watched as they stood at a front nurse's desk counter. As a loud two tone beep suddenly began to chime, filling the near empty room, Wolford, catching sight of a wall mounted television screen, felt his heart begin race as his eyes watched as words started to blink across the screen. There, in bold black lettering, Nick's name suddenly appeared into the que, "N. Wilde, OR3 Surgery Prep.", followed underneath by words "Status: Critical" in sharp red lettering.

 ** _Ruskoff & Yole – 330 East Roscoe, Zootopia_**

"You failed in the task I ask from you, Gregson." A grey and white artic wolf spoke, his face currently hidden by the room's low lighting. "Was my order not heard correctly?"

"Yes sir, it was." Gregson, a dark grey timber wolf replied, shaking nervously as he sat in front of a lavish wooden desk. "But my line of sight, I had to…was not…"

"Shut…up." The artic wolf suddenly spoke, his tone malicious and slow, as he continued to stare at the timber wolf. "Now because you failed to complete the task, he will be no doubt by now untouchable to me." Getting up from the chair he was sitting in, the artic wolf slowly crossed the length of the lavish desk toward the now squirming timber wolf.

"Mr. Ruskoff, I swear I can fix this, please." Gregson spoke, his voice cracking slightly.

"No, Gregson." Ruskoff spoke slowly, moving out of the darkness as he came to a stop just in front of Gregson. Ruskoff, leaning up against his desk, now sat down along the desk's edge. "You see, your inabilities now have put me in a very difficult position, my friend. Look at me when I am talking to you!" Ruskoff shouted suddenly as he watched Gregson lower his head. "Now, how do you think my dear baby sister will act when I go and tell her about your mistake? How can I truly tell her, a few days before she is to be released, that he is still alive?"

"I…I do not know…Mr. Ruskoff. But you can assure her that…that I will…" Gregson started to speak. Ruskoff, suddenly withdrawing a gun from behind his back, fired a single shot, killing Gregson instantly, his body collapsing onto the floor.

Lowering his gun slowly, Ruskoff, looking down at Gregson's dead body, felt as a sense of satisfaction fill within him. Walking back around to his chair and opening a bottom side drawer, he gently deposited the gun into it before raising his head violently up. "Jason!" Ruskoff shouted, turning to a light haired tundra wolf. "Get that piece of trash out of my sight before it stains my floor!" Closing the desk drawer quickly, Ruskoff grabbed a dark suit jacket from the back of the chair, quickly slipped it on. Adjusting the cuffs of his shirt sleeves and stepping over the lifeless timber wolf's body he raised a paw up to his neck as he adjusted his tie. Grabbing Jason by the shoulder as Jason leaned down to remove the dead timber wolf's body, Ruskoff pierced his claws into his flesh. "Why has that worthless, murdering buffalo not been brought to me yet, Jason?

"He's disappeared, sir." Jason replied uneasily, dropping to one knee as pain began to circle in his body. "He has not been back at his house for almost a month now. No one has seen or talked to him."

"Find him!" Ruskoff shouted, grabbing at Jason's shoulder even tighter before letting go of him quickly. "I want him brought here to me…alive!" Ruskoff, tilting his head and cracking it, took a step back from Jason, who suddenly began to shake, breathing rapidly. Buttoning his jacket, Ruskoff turned toward a small picture frame sitting all alone on a small round table. His mind now racing with uncontrollable rage, Ruskoff flexed his paws as he walked toward it and picked it up. Brushing small amounts of dust off the photo, he simply stared at it for a moment. The aged photo of himself as an older pup showed him standing in the middle between two younger looking female wolfs. All three of them, smiling back happily at the mammals taking the picture. Turning his head to face Jason once again he spoke with added furry as he let of a low growl. "I want him, Jason…I want him right here!" He pointed to the spot where he stood as his paw shook with rage. "I want that cape buffalo…on his knees…looking into my eyes. I want him to beg like a little pup before I kill him, just as he did to my half-sister, Natalya." Setting the picture frame back down on the small table, Ruskoff turned toward a red wolf, standing quietly near the office door. Throwing a set of keys at him, Ruskoff shouted at him, "Have my car outside in five minutes!"


	11. Guilt of the Father

Chapter Ten – Guilt of the Father

 ** _Lambert Arms Motel – Meadowlands District_**

"James, you can't be serious about doing this?" Grey spoke, the look on his face one of complete disbelief, turning around suddenly as his old friend rush by him. James, passing by Grey, quickly began opening and closing drawers in his motel room, picking up items scattered around it. Looking back at the grizzly bear angrily, for a split second James felt the urge to say something before lowering his head and grabbing an article of clothing off the floor. Taking a deep breath, Grey simply watched as James stepped into the bathroom before speaking once again. "You won't be able to get within 10 feet of that hospital without being seen, you know this." Walking closer to the bathroom door Grey listened as he heard a cabinet door close. "Are you seriously prepared for what could happen, James? And what about actually even seeing Nicholas? There is no way in hell you will get close enough to…" Reaching out to grab a hold of James arm as he exited the bathroom, James quickly dodged his friend's attempt quickly passing by Grey once again. Grey, lowering his head in defeat, turned as he watched James set a stack of clothes on the bed and quickly begin stuffing them in a small duffle bag. "James, please I..."

"He's my son, Grey!" James shouted angrily, a collared shirt clutched tightly in his right paw, he turned and stepped toward his old friend. His heart rate increasing, James turned quickly back toward the bed as he continued to stuff the last of his clothes into the duffle bag. "What if it was one of your three teenage cubs, Harry, Chris or Doris? What about your wife Ailsa, Grey? What if it she was the one lying in there in surgery?" James spoke turning to look dead into Grey's eyes. "I can't let it happen. I am not going to let that psychopathic family take someone else from me!" James shouted as he quickly zipped the duffle bag closed, grabbing hold of the bag's strap.

"But James…"

"What do you want me to do Grey….huh…tell me, what I'm I to do?" James shouted at Grey as he turned toward the small table next to the bed, grabbing a set of keys. "Just sit here in this room like a good old fox and simply wait for news on my kit's possible death!" Quickly walking to the door to his room, James suddenly stopped in his tracks as his paw shook, clutching the room's door handle, as he breathed slow and heavily. "I can't lose him Grey." James spoke softly as he leaned forward and rested his head on the door. Dropping the duffle bag onto the floor, James felt for the first time, in over 30 years, fear pulsing within him. Looking over his shoulder, James was not willing to look Grey fully in the eyes. "Not after everything I went through… losing his mother. He is all I have left in this world, Grey; he is all that's left from Marie." James turned suddenly, feeling his shoulders drop rapidly after hearing himself say her name out loud. "I lost two kits that night and almost Marie, Grey, when you came to save me at the house, all those years ago…" James sniffed. "…after the McKells ambushed Marie, on her way to house." Taking a deep breath James turned back to Grey, fire burning in his eyes. "Two kits, Grey!" James yelled, baring his fangs, as he thought back to that night many years ago. "By the time Jessica and her men got to Marie and got her to the hospital…" James stopped talking as he began to cry out loud.

"James." Grey, taking a step closer to James, watched the aged fox began to break down and spoke in a low tone. "You are not going to lose him. We both know Nicholas, over the years, has proven time and again to be just as strong and stubborn as his old fox. Just look at everything that kit of yours has done or had happen to him since you started watching over him." Grey, trying to smile slightly, failed as he continued. "What you need to be thinking about right now at this moment, are those grandkits and most of all, your daughter-in-law, Judy." Grey quickly pointed a claw toward a photo currently propped up on the small bedside table showing Judy and the twins. "What about them James…huh…what about them and their mother? What do you think those twins are going through right now? Their father was just shot."

"I know the Ruskoffs' sent someone after my son Grey!" James replied, shouting again. "They sent some young lion punk and brainless wolverine to try and kidnap my granddaughter…and then they shot my boy, like cowards from a distance!" James pointed own his paw finger to the television screen, as he began to listen once again to the news reporter, a short female porcupine, as she stood outside Zootopian General Hospital.

 _"…_ _Department has still not issued a statement at this time on the current condition of Lt. Nicholas Wilde. The latest information is still that, Lt. Wilde is listed in critical condition at this time. His wife, Commander Judith Wilde, and their two children are here at this time in fact, having been seen arriving more than an hour ago under heavy police presence…"_

Turning his attention away from the television, James stepped right up to Grey's massive body. Raising his head up, James simply stared up at the old grizzly bear. "You were not there seventeen years ago, Grey. You never had to see Marie after that wolf butchered her." James growled, lowering his head again, as he caught sight of a tiny photo lying on the edge of his bed. The tiny aged photo, showing a beautiful young aged vixen wearing a white dress and hat, was sitting in front of a younger James in a dark suit, both of them smiling. Reaching down and picking it up James closed his eyes for a split second as his anger suddenly collapsed, replaced by guilt. "Marie lying here, on the floor, her clothes torn apart and her bare fur covered in blood…" James stopped suddenly before starting again. "She died in my arms, that day, Grey." James spoke as he slowly raised his paws, looking at both of his paws, remembering them covered in blood as he held his wife to his chest. "Seeing her there on the floor, I rushed to her. By the time I had arrived, she had lost so much blood. I tried Grey… desperately I tried to save her. With all the training and skills I possess…I just… the trauma she was under. I just couldn't stop it." James started to cry once again as his body began to shake. Grey, lowering his head in silent grief, continued to listen. "Lying there on the floor with her, lifting her up slightly, I just started holding her in my arms, telling her over and over I'm sorry and how I should have been here." Turning again to Grey, James began to cry even harder as he struggled to speak in between his rapid breathing, continuing with his story. "Looking up at me with those soft eyes of hers, I could tell she was struggling so hard to stay with me. Then, just before taking her final breath, she looked at me, struggling to speak through the pain, she said to me weakly, "James… watch over them. Keep… keep them safe." James recited, closing his eyes as he felt more and more tears run along his muzzle. "After that, I watched as she closed her eyes one last time as she raised a paw to me, placing it on my chest. It was right at that moment, I felt her leave me, right then and there. As I continued holding her tightly in my arms, rubbing my head onto hers, I just started crying out to her, over and over.

As I began to hear sirens quickly approaching the old farm house, I just panicked. Grasping onto her cheek, I gave her one last kiss as I lowered her body and head gently back onto the floor. I just…I just left her there, Grey, lying there all alone." James, walked toward the motel door once again, placing the old photo in his pocket, he began to taking a few deep breaths before speaking. "I can still remember…" James stopped talking suddenly for a split second before starting again. "We were supposed to spend a few days together that week, her and I, during which we were going to talk about our future plans. With the grandkits just a few weeks away from being born, I decided I never wanted to be apart from her any more. That's why I called you and Ailsa at your home, Grey." James eyed Grey as he stood by the door. "I thought we could maybe spend some time together, you, me, Marie and Ailsa, that weekend. I was seriously thinking of finally coming out of hiding." Grey, tilting his head slightly, was suddenly a loss for words as he listened to the words coming out of James mouth. "Marie, for a few years, had been telling me that she thought it was finally time for all of us, Nicholas, Marie and me, to be a proper family again." James continued. "I had made arrangements to be there at the house the day before, but I was held up unexpectedly on my departure and was forced to leave Clarabelle Island a day late. I kept telling myself, Grey, if I had just been there, I could have protected her from Natalya." James sniffed slightly as he took a breath. "Then, watching the house from a distance and seeing Nicholas being wrestled to the ground by his fellow officers, struggling to get to his mother, I found myself also collapsing onto the ground. Listening as he continued to scream desperately for her, I just cupped at my ears down as I began to tremble on the ground. Opening my eyes and seeing Judy there, holding onto Nicholas, comforting him desperately, I knew then what I had done. I realized, truly for the first time in my life, I failed Marie and Nicholas. I failed to protect my family from outside harm, Grey." James, suddenly punching the wall hard with his fist, turned back suddenly to Grey as the pain in his paw seemed to amplify his anger. "I am not going to make that same mistake twice, Grey, I can't."

"James, do me a favor please and calm down and just think for one moment." Grey replied, begging. "I know you want to protect Nick and his family. Hell if it was Ailsa or the cubs I would want to also. But for just one second, James, think about it, will you… please?" Grey asked desperately. "Where is the safest place Nick and his family can be at this very moment, James? It's at that hospital!" Grey shouted. "The entire ZPD is literally standing guard around Nicholas and the family."

James, not fully listening to Grey as he spoke, quickly walked toward the small bed stand table and opened it. Withdrawing a small gun from the drawer and chambering it quickly, he quickly lifted the back of his shirt and inserted it between his belt and pants, concealing it. Returning to the door and grabbing ahold of the small duffle bag he had dropped earlier onto the floor, he turned the door handle and opened it. James, inhaling deeply, turned his head over his shoulder exhaling slowly as he spoke, his voice calm and collative. "Call Johnathan and tell him I will be paying him a visit at the manor house in about thirty minutes." His eyes suddenly flashed red as they were reflected by the light of the room. "If any of those polar bears of his give you any lip, remind them of just who is coming. After that, I'm going to the hospital." Grey, rushing to the door, turned as he watched James walking down the motel's second floor pathway as he suddenly heard James shout back to him, "Call your cubs Grey, tell Ailsa hi from me."


	12. Waiting with Uncertainty

Chapter Eleven – Waiting with Uncertainty

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

"Chief, is there any word yet…any word about Nick?" Joseph spoke suddenly, his face showing utter fear, lowering his ears flat along his head as he turned, catching sight of Chief Higgins emerging through a set of double doors leading from the ER, his head hung low.

"What?" Chief Higgins spoke suddenly, catching sight of Joseph as he stood near the entrance to the waiting room. "Oh…ah, no, still no word from the doctors yet." Higgins slowly replied his mind completely clouded and frustrated as he began to glare back at the aardwolf in front of him. "We should have heard something by now. I mean, it's been nearly five hours…five hours, since they took Nick in!" Higgins replied quickly in a low tone, dropping his head for a second before raising it suddenly back up. Taking a long deep breath, he began to lean slightly to one side as he glanced toward where Judy and the kits were sitting. "How is she holding up?" Higgins asked quietly.

"Still holding, but I don't know for how much longer, Chief." Joseph replied lowering his head. "She has been through so much, these past few weeks, and now something like this happens."

"Hindquarter," Higgins quickly spoke, still speaking in his low tone, looking back at Joseph. "I want you to take Officer Logger and head back to the 3rd." Higgins spoke a little louder, grabbing on to Joseph's arm lightly, and quickly began to move him down the hallway and away from a small crowd of officers. "Both of you, head down to the lab when you get there. I called my lead forensic officer, Oscar Coonburg and he will be there shortly."

"But Chief… what's going on? What about Judy?" Joseph asked questionably as he looked down the hallway toward the waiting area before turning back to Higgins.

"Just get your tail back to the 3rd and down to the lab, Hindquarter, I'll…" Higgins started to speak once again before suddenly hearing a low Scottish female accent call out to the waiting room nearby.

"Mrs. Wilde?"

Both of them, Higgins and Hindquarter, turned and glanced down the hallway as they watched as a short ewe dressed in green surgical scrubs, her back to the both of them, stood before the small group of officers now guarding the entrance to the room beyond.

"Mrs. Wilde?"

"Yes?" A low, shaking voice was suddenly heard by Higgins and Joseph as Judy, walking ahead of Leo and Officer Wolford on either side of her, slowly made her way through the crowd toward the ewe.

Raising her short clove fingers to the top of her head, the ewe quickly removed her scrub cap. "Mrs. Wilde…I'm Doctor Cheviot. Your husband is out of surgery now. Doctors Stripe and Meerburg asked me to come out and see you." The ewe spoke once more, clearing her throat as she reached out, grabbing a hold of one of Judy's paws. "We did all that we can at this time, but I can say the operation went very well." The ewe spoke suddenly, her eyes throwing comfort toward Judy and the gathering officers around her. "However, while his condition is stable, he is by no means out of danger at this time. We will be closely monitoring him overnight for any changes. We simply cannot fully know if his condition will improve or not. The bullet entered through his chest, shattering one of his ribs. A few pieces of the rib along with the bullet pierced his lung in different locations as the bullet exited through his back. Due to the amount of blood loss and massive trauma, he has been placed into a medically induced coma. All three of us, Doctor Strip, Meerburg and I, feel at this present time, in doing this, it will help speed in his recovery and help deter any early complications."

"How long will he have to be kept in the coma?" Leo abruptly asked, his eyes narrowing as he focused sharply on the ewe.

"It's too early to tell at this time." Cheviot replied, returning Leo's gaze. Turing her attention back to Judy, she let go of Judy's paw "He should be moving into the ICU on the fifth floor now. If you and your family would like to follow me I've been ask by Doctor Meerburg to take you all up to him now. You will not be able to go into the room immediately, but you will be able to view him through the glass door. Once the nurses have finished with him and Doctor Meerburg feels it is alright, you all will be allowed into the room."

"Hindquarter, get your tail out of here, now. Tabitha…Wolford, wait!" Chief Higgins shouted. Walking quickly back to the small group, he brushed past the short ewe and towards the tall rabbit and her wolf husband. "Tabitha, I want you to go up and be with Judy and the kits, Greg I need you to stay behind for a few minutes, I need to talk to you, then you go up with her."

Tabitha, turning to her husband, her expression one of complete confusion, turned quickly back to Higgins, unknowingly grabbing a hold of her young female pup, Mae. "Sure, Chief…but… why?"

"Please Tabitha." Higgins spoke once again, his voice becoming slightly sterner.

"Tab, it's alright." Wolford, placing a paw along her shoulder, gave her a slight smile as he leaned in and kissed her softly on her head before looking into her eyes. "Go on Tab, Judy will need you. Marie?" Wolford turned to the teenage fox. "Can you take Mae along with you? I'll see you all up there in a few minutes."

"Alright." Tabitha replied, still feeling slightly uneasy. Walking over and slipping her paw gently around Judy's arm, Tabitha slowly began to lead as she and Leo began to escort Judy with Doctor Cheviot. Marie, staying behind for a few seconds, watched as Mae rushed toward her father, giving him a warm hug. Smiling back at the little wolf, Marie slowly reached out with her paw as Greg released his daughter from his arms, reaching out and grasping Mae's paw as both began to walk down the hallway, quickly catching up to both their mothers.

"What is it, Chief?" Wolford asked, now turning to Higgins.

"I need to ask you and Tabitha to do something for me." Higgins replied quickly.

Upon arriving inside the ICU, Cheviot guided them down a long, wide hallway before stopping just shy of a thick sliding glass door. Doctor Joyce Meerburg quickly caught sight of Judy and her family and spoke suddenly from within the room before quickly stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "Doctor Strip is just now finishing up. If you all could wait for a few more minutes, the nurse's just need to make sure everything is properly set, than you all can go in." Joyce said turning to Judy smiling at her then to Marie and Leo. Judy, staring within the room glanced at Nick for the first time and let out a slight gasp as she continued to stare at him. "I removed the respirator in him and he seems to be breathing on his own at this present time. We have a mask providing him with air and are giving his antibiotics. Besides his gunshot wound, he also sustained slight bruising to his spine from the bullet's exit. The bullet came within a few millimeters of it as it exited. This is one of the reasons we chose to keep him sedated. In doing this, it will help allow the swelling along the spine to subside without causing further damage to…"

"Will he be able to walk again?"

"It's still too early to tell, Mrs. Wilde. From what we can see, his spine is ok, but due to the pressure being put on it at this moment he has shown no response movements to his lower legs. Once the swelling has gone down we will be able to determine the extent of it. There should be no reason why he should not regain movement."

Judy, hearing these words, immediately began to struggle with herself as she turned and clutched her son. Judy, her heart feeling as if it dropped countless times this evening, turned back toward the female meerkat as she struggled to speak. "Thank you… Joyce, for everything, you and your entire team."

"Wait here and let me see if the room is ready for you all." Joyce said turning toward the sliding glass door and opening it, stepping inside.

"Judy?"

Chief Higgins, walking up the hallway of the ICU followed closely by Wolford, began to motion to her as he stopped just shy of Nick's room. I need to talk to you, please."

Judy, slowly letting go of Leo, glanced back through the glass door as she slowly made her way over to Higgins and Wolford.

"Judy…" Higgins, speaking in a low voice, raised his eyes toward both Leo and Marie before lowering them once more to Judy. "I want Leo and Marie stay with Tabitha and Wolford." Higgins, quickly noticing Judy expression suddenly cross her face, held up a single thick sub finger stopping her from speaking. "Judy…I need you to listen to me, please!" Higgins, raising his voice slightly, turned to Wolford. "Greg says he will protect both of them until we have ascertained it is safe. I also am putting you on extended leave as of this moment."

"But Chief, I need to find…"

"Judy, what you need to do right now is be here for Nick. I will be assigning an armed officer to the ward within the hour." Higgins started to speak yet again.

"Chief, please, just stop all this… stop all this right now and just tell me… what is going on!" Judy suddenly shouted.

Taking a deep breath, Higgins watched as heads around them began to turn toward their direction before lowering his voice, speaking fast. "Your family is in danger, Judy." Clearing his voice, Higgins continued. "After briefing the press earlier, I was making my way back to the waiting room when I was suddenly pulled into a room by someone. It was Bogo. He's been in hiding for over five months now. He talked about trying to get in touch with you weeks ago or something. Apparently from what he told me, some wolf by the last name of Ruskoff is after him and your family for the death of his half-sister Natalya.

"Anna." Judy, her eyes, enlarging rapidly, slowly spoke the name as she turned back around to her two kits. Taking a few deep breaths she looked by at him. "Nick said something to me about Anna Ruskoff, something about her being released."

"Judy I want you to stay here for the night, I called Ethel and she will be bringing you some things to change into for the night and…"

"Mom, we can go in now." Marie's voice suddenly was heard as all three of them turned to face Marie, still holding on Mae's paw.

Over the next hour, in small groups of two or three, fellow officers slowly began to trickle in to pay their respects and see Nick. Officer Fangmeyer, followed by Officer Pawler, Nick's protégé and squad member, both chose to linger a little longer than many of their fellow officers. Hearing laughter suddenly erupt from along one of the deep corners of the room, Judy turned to watch as Pawler suddenly grasped onto Leo shoulder, laughing hysterically, as Fangmeyer recounted to Pawler and both Leo and Marie about the time Nick had gone undercover at the naturalist club 'Mystic Spring Oasis'.

"Your dad, that crazy fox, was so focused on apprehending that pig, he failed to realize he had chased him right through and out the clubs main front door and into oncoming traffic." Fangmeyer had let out another loud laugh. "So if you could believe it, there he was, your father, in the middle of the street buck naked, trying to wrestle a naked mud soaked pig to the ground and cuffing him."

Judy, letting out a laugh for the first time that day, closed her eyes as she sat next to Nick's feet, remembering the fallout Nick had received from Chief Bogo. The whole event had been broadcasted during the evening news. Nick, Judy recalled still laughing was, to coin the phrase, the butt of every joke for a full month afterwards before suddenly hearing her name called, bringing her back to reality.

"Judy? Tabitha and I need to head home." Wolford suddenly spoke as Judy turned her head slightly to the side, Greg leaning in close to her.

"Right." Judy replied, feeling her stomach cringe slightly as she looked back to her two kits. "Leo, Marie, can you come over here?" Rising from her chair, her left foot taping nervously on the floor, she held out a paw to her daughter as she looked at the two of them. "I need you not argue with what I am about to tell you two, are we clear?"

"Yes mom." Both answered back at different times.

"Alright. Both of you are going to stay with Tabitha and Greg tonight. It will…"

"But what about…" Leo started to speak.

"Leo, what did I just say?" Judy raised her voice suddenly before lowering it again, looking out into the ICU. "I'm going to stay here with your father. I need you two to look after one another and go with Greg, right now. I'll call you both in the morning, ok?" Judy, beginning to tear up, quickly embraced both her kits. Holding on to Leo tightly, Judy began to whisper what sounded like 'carriage and farm' quietly into his ear.

Wolford, stepping out of the room and into the hallway, slowly turned to Judy as both her kits began to follow him. "They'll be alright, Judy." Greg spoke as Judy, Tabitha and little Mae each made their way out of the room before starting to make his way down the hall, Leo and Marie right behind him.

Fangmeyer and Pawler, now exiting the room behind Judy and Tabitha, leaned in quickly to both Judy and Tabitha, giving them a quick hug before wishing them goodnight.

"Are you sure you don't want us to say with you a little longer?" Tabitha asked as she continued to hold her daughter's paw. "You look so tired Judy." Tabitha spoke as she watched Judy walk over toward her. "Why not just come home with us to our house and rest? Then in the morning you can come back and be with him?"

"Thanks Tabby." Judy started to reply as she walked up and hugged Tabitha. "But…" Wiping a few lingering tears from her eyes, Judy turned back toward Nick lying in the bed. Her left ear twitched as she listened to the low rhythm beats from the monitor and equipment surrounding his bed side. "Chief wants me to stay here with Nick." Looking back at Tabitha, Judy struggled to smile back lightly at her. "Thanks for asking. Would you be able take Marie and Leo over to the house in the morning so they can grab a few things for me and themselves?"

"Of course." Tabitha replied quickly. "But what will you do for tonight?" Tabitha, glancing down at Judy and what she was wearing, thinking of how uncomfortable she would be.

"A nurse came in earlier and gave me a few things to wash up with from her station just down a ways." Judy replied as she pointed to a nearby nursing station, before reaching over and hugging Mae. "I can use the bathroom in the room here to wash up in and also the couch along the window so I can be next to him. Higgins told me just before he left that he had called Ethel and caught her before she left headquarters, asking her to bring a change of…"

"Commander!"

"The ewe herself." Judy said silently to herself as she turned her head. Ethel, her ewe office assistant, was suddenly running down the hallway, still wearing her police uniform. Noticing quickly as Ethel was advancing towards the three of them, Judy saw she was clutching something tightly to her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Commander." Ethel spoke quickly as she approached the tiny group. "I tried to get here as soon as I…"

"Ethel please, it's alright." Judy spoke as she held out a paw to Ethel as she stopped in front of her.

Ethel, lowering her head, turned toward Tabitha, smiling weakly at her. "Hi Tabitha" Ethel spoke before looking back at Judy "I had a somewhat difficult time, Commander, finding you a spare change of clothes from the supply room. Sargent Foul informed me that the department has yet to receive the new shipment of Class 3M (The departmental classification of clothing for mammals Judy's size) clothing." Ethel spoke as she handed over a pair of ZPD gym clothes, before speaking again. "We were able, in all the rush, to find a pair of older shorts in your size but we were unable to find a shirt, so I had to bring you a 'Class 4M size." Ethel finished talking before stepping back slightly rather fast. "Also in the bag is a spare bra and…"

"Thanks Ethel." Judy replied, taking the cloths and bag from Ethel before turning back to Tabitha. "Go on." Judy said turned then to Ethel. "All of you, go on home, I'll be fine. Oh, Tabitha?" Judy, her expression changing abruptly as turned back to her friend, her eyes suddenly growing with fear, "Please…keep them safe for me, please."

"Judy." Tabitha quickly spoke as she grasped onto to her, hugging her tightly in her arms. "You know Greg. Neither he nor I will allow anything to happen to Leo or Marie. Please, Judy, just try and get some rest ok. I love you Judy."

"I love you too, Tabby. Thank you." Judy said, still hugging Tabitha back before feeling Tabitha slowly release her.

Brushing Judy's cheek with a free paw, Tabitha gave Judy a warm smile before turning and grabbing on to Mae's paw once again. Slowly, both Tabitha and Mae started to make their way down along the hallway, followed closely behind by Ethel. "Bye auntie Judy." Judy heard Mae call back to her as she watched the little wolf turn and wave at her, making her smile, as her and her mother neared the ICU entrance.

Waving back, Judy clutched the change of clothing closer to her chest as she lowered her head down, her ears falling over her shoulders as she stepped back inside the room. Walking back into the hospital room, sliding the glass door closed, Judy, reaching for the doors curtain, she began to slide it close, covering the glass door. The room, now in a dim light, Judy walked over toward the bed, sitting the change of clothes down on the edge of the bed as she slowly lowered herself back into the chair near Nick's feet. Thinking suddenly back to what Higgins had told her earlier, Judy simply sat there. "Bogo, in hiding?" Judy thought quickly in her mind. "And Anna? But… how?" Feeling tears suddenly begin to fall down her cheeks once again, Judy lowered her head gently down alongside Nick's lower leg. Reaching out and grabbing hold of Nick's right paw, Judy started to slowly rub her paw fingers along and in-between his own paw fingers. Glancing up at one of the monitor's screens, Judy slowly began to read the time illuminated along its top right corner, reading 12:14am. Closing her eyes, exhaustion beginning to overcome her, Judy whispered softy, giving Nick's paw a slight squeeze, "I love you Nick".


	13. Reunion

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, I have been so busy with work and home lately. I hope you all will enjoy this new chapter. Please let me know how you are finding the story so far and leave me a review.**

Chapter Twelve – Reunion

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

 _Breathing slowly, turning her head as she continued to rest it along the edge of Nick's bed, Judy, not knowing why, felt her eyes suddenly begin to open. Staring out into the dimly lit hospital room, she raised a single grey ear slowly into the air as she began to raise her head slowly and gently off the bed. Turning toward the glass door leading out into the ICU, its dark curtain still pulled tightly closed, she began to scan along the dim room's interior, listening as a slow exhale, followed by a low immoral laugh, began to echo in the darkness._

 _"_ _Poor… poor…. bunny." A low voice slowly spoke._

 _Judy, both her ears now fully up, continuing to gaze frantically around the dark room and her small nose began to twitch rapidly. Feeling herself suddenly shiver, cold air quickly began to descend upon her, engulfing her completely. Reaching out to grab hold of Nick's paw, Judy began to struggle as she felt desperately along the side of the bed, not wishing to lower her eyes._

 _"_ _A life… for a life, Judith Wilde." The eerie voice spoke suddenly, as if standing right behind her, whispering into Judy's left ear._

 _Jumping suddenly to her feet, turning rapidly around and towards the dim room's bare white wall behind her, Judy felt herself gasp hard and heavy. Breathing rapidly, her mind struggling to make sense of what was happening before her, Judy suddenly gasped once again as she felt her body suddenly being thrown to the wall. Falling to the floor, painfully, her body shaking as she cringed, Judy closed her eyes as she began to hyperventilate. Feeling her body suddenly begin to be lifted up into the air and pinned against the wall, Judy quickly grasped at her throat. Gasping desperately for air, her eyes still closed tightly shut due to the force of the individual holding her, she suddenly felt the sensation of claws piercing around her throat. Struggling desperately to break free, she dropped a paw onto the unknown individual's paws. Judy was fighting desperately with the last of her ever depleting strength as she struggled to fight deeply matted paws as they held her up against the wall._

 _"_ _I will take everything… and everyone you love from this world." The voice spoke once again._

 _Judy, her heart racing and strength failing, listened to the voice as she felt a heavy breathe against the side of her face as the individual started to released their grip slightly around her neck. Feeling a sharp sudden pain immediately erupt out of the side of her stomach, Judy felt her body suddenly release from the wall, dropping hard back onto the floor. Gasping for what little air she could muster, her body crumbled on the ground, Judy opened her eyes as she felt them burn from the pain and tears falling down her face. Lowering her head and looking down at her right side, she began to stare at the small hilt of a knife protruding out from her. Struggling to move, shaking violently, Judy slowly began to crawl on her left side as she felt urgently for the bed beside her. Her left paw grasping frantically for the bedside, Judy clutched with her right around the edge of the hilt as she struggled to reach for the nurses emergency call button, lying just alongside the bed. Breathing desperately, grasping on to the bed's frame, Judy slowly began to raise her body up as she struggled to gain a footing from what appeared to be blood on floor. Letting out a low piercing scream, her eyes transfixed at the sight in front of her, Judy fell once again to the floor, shutting her eyes rapidly as she continued to scream out loud. Shaking her head in complete disbelief, Judy struggling on the floor, the sight she had just witnessed seconds before simply ripped through her body. Nick was covered in a mass of blood soaked sheets. Judy, still grasping at her right side, lowered her head along the bed's plastic frame, as she continuing to cry uncontrollably call out, "No… Nick!" Nick's once handsome face and red fur chest was now completely ripped to shreds. Scar marks, made by what appeared to be deep claws, covered Nicks face and bod, causing him to be nearly unrecognizable._

Waking rapidly from her dream, jumping to her feet and tipping over her chair, Judy gasped as she immediately pressed her paw to her right side. Looking down to her side, Judy quickly raised her head, searching uncontrollably through the low lit room. Remembering her dream suddenly, she turned toward Nick as she staggered slightly, clutching the wall beside her for support. Nick was alive and sleeping peacefully beside her as Judy reached slowly and shakily for his paw once again. Grasping it and raising it to her, Judy felt as her heart ache as she felt his soft warm paw touch her cheek. His face was still covered by his oxygen mask as Judy leaned toward him, kissing him gently on the forehead. Struggling to breathe slower, Judy raised her ears as she listened desperately, turning to each of the monitors around Nick's bed side. Turning to her left, Judy watched with bated breath as a green line quickly jumped followed by a sharp beep on the small screen, monitoring Nick's steady heartbeat. Glancing quickly at the digital clock on the monitor's screen she had read earlier, it now displayed time as 2:33am.

Feeling herself on the verge of collapsing, Judy, trying with all her strength not to break down, began to stagger toward the open door to the room's small bathroom. Her right paw, shaking uncontrollably, clutched along the inside of the bathroom's dark wall, sliding it up and down, searching. Locating the room's light switch and stepping inside Judy closed the door hard unexpectedly. Pressing her back firmly against the bathroom door, Judy, her mouth slightly open, emotions crumbling around her, began to cry out desperately. Feeling her legs giving out, she now began to lower her fragile body slowly as she slid herself to the floor. Grabbing both her knees, bringing them tightly to her chest, she continued to cry out loud, turning onto her side on the cold bathroom floor. For nearly ten minutes Judy simply laid there, crying until she could cry no more. Releasing her legs now slowly, Judy began to wipe desperately along both her cheeks as she felt her now saturated fur around her eyes. Struggling to her feet once again, her paw clutching onto the bathroom door, Judy slowly began to walk over to the room's small vanity sink, positioned just next to a narrow shower stall. Her left arm extended out, she clutched at the small sink, turning on the cold tab as she immediately began to splash her face with cold water. Leaning forward, still grasping tightly to the sink, Judy simply stared back at her reflection in the mirror as the last of the water fell from her face. "Why?" Judy asking herself, the images of her dream spinning within her head. "It can't happen." Turning back and walking toward the bathroom door, her body still slightly shaking, she opened the door before turning off the light, peering back into hospital room. Raising her eyes back toward Nick, still lying in the bed, Judy felt as her whole body unexpectedly come to sudden and complete stop in the low dim of the room's light.

"Hello, Judith." James spoke suddenly and softly, not taking his own eyes off Nick. His ears twitching slightly to the unmistakable sound of a cart squeaking as it passed by the room, James raised his eyes for a mere fraction of a second. Looking up toward the glass door, James lowered then his eyes once more back to Nick. Leaning over Nick's bed, dressed in a simple dark pair of dress pants, shirt and sport coat, James gently finished his adjustment of an IV line that was mistakenly wrapped around Nicks left arm and paw. "I felt it would be rude to disturb you while you were in there. One of the nurse's seems to have made a kind of mess here with these lines."

Her nose twitching, her mouth slightly open, Judy felt her grip on the bathroom door begin to tighten as her mind struggled to comprehend what to do. "How does this fox know my name?" Judy quickly asked herself, unable to look away from the aged grey fox now touching her husband. Scrutinizing him from her position, thinking quickly, Judy simply stood there, her paws locked in a firm grip on the bathroom door's handle.

"Or would you prefer I call you Judy?" James asked, his voice still calm, as he slowly turned his head, his light green eyes catching sight of Judy's own lavender in the dim light of the room for the first time.

"J…Judy." Judy replied slowly, taking a deep breath, again still holding onto the bathroom door handle.

"He looks so peaceful…" The James spoke abruptly, turning toward her, the overhead light behind Nick illuminating the dark room with its dim light, obscuring his face slightly. "Doesn't he?"

"Yes…" Judy replied nervously, her mind continuing to race for answers. "But…" Judy began to speak before stopping as she suddenly held her breath, watching James turn back to Nick.

James, turning back to his son, reached down and touched Nick's arm as he slowly began adjusting different lines along Nick's left arm. "Where are Leo and Marie?" James asked, before suddenly raising his head, glancing quickly toward the room's glass door for a split second. His grey ears flexing slightly as the sound of movement passed by the door, he turned back to Judy, noticing her flinch slightly by his sudden movement before returning to Nick.

"They're…safe." Judy replied back, a tone of anger suddenly beginning to build as she stared at the unknown fox continuing to touch Nick. "How do you know my kits' names?"

James, letting out a short chuckle, turned his head again to Judy as he looked back at her. "Oh, it's an old habit grandparents, like I, have when it comes to their grandkits, Judy. You see… we just never quite stop thinking about them." James replied, smiling now for the first time at Judy, his light green eyes, slightly like Nick's, stared back at her in the rooms low dim light. Turning back and placing a paw on the top of Nick's head, James slowly began to rub alongside the inside and outside of one of Nick's ears with his paw fingers. "Nor do fathers, when it comes to their sons."

"Father?"

"But… no… that can't be." Judy replied, recalling suddenly her memories. "Marie told me Nick's father died when he was three. Marie would not…"

"Marie told Nick I died after I went into hiding." James corrected her, breathing slowly, before slowly letting go of Nick's ear as he began reaching for a side chair close to him, taking a seat on it. Crossing his left leg over his right, he rested his paws in his lap. "I guess I should fill you in on everything then. Please…" James, raising his right paw gently into the air, motioned to the overturned chair opposite the bed.


	14. No More Secrets

Chapter Thirteen – No More Secrets

 ** _Zootopia General Hospital_**

"… so you see, by the time Nicholas was now three it was only a matter of time. Johnathan's family and their influence was the only thing really keeping all of us safe." James finished telling Judy everything. Turning from Nick to Judy, James began to blink slightly before he raised his head slowly into the air, closing his eyes for a moment. "Both Marie and I agreed at that time, the only safe way we could possibly give Nicholas any kind of normal childhood was for me to try and disappear."

"But I don't understand…" Judy, spoke for the first time in over an hour, her face showing a mixture of sadness, shock, and disbelief, having listened to the whole story from James. "All those mammals you killed the night Nick was born, that polecat brother, what was his name… William McKell." Judy, still processing everything, stopped before speaking once again. "W… why not just take Marie and Nick and run?

James, his expression unchanged, continued to stare back at Judy "Grey asked me that same question a few weeks after it happen, while I was still recovering at Johnathan's." James replied, uncrossing his legs and taking a short breath. "I couldn't move them after everything that happened; both were still far too weak to make a run for it. So we stayed at my late uncle's house under careful watch."

His mind shifting back to that awful day once again, James turned his gaze away from Judy as he felt his ears move back slightly. "At the time, I was not the kind of fox who would just cut and run away from a fight. Quite more like the opposite in fact. After the ambush… waking up and seeing Marie lying there next to me on the city sidewalk…" The tone in James voice suddenly began to change to one of complete and utter hatred. "They should have killed me right then and there, when I was at my most vulnerable. Instead they sought to go after my unborn kits and wife. They stabbed her, multiple times in fact, in her abdomen after knocking me out. Waking up and crawling desperately to her, my vision still slightly blurred, I saw Jessica and her polar bears, rushing toward us."

"How did she know where you were?" Judy asked, her heart rating increasing as she continued to listen.

"Drake Grounder." James replied. "He had been ordered by the brothers to take part in the ambush, but he refused, knowing me and what would happen if he went through with it. He got word to Jessica immediately after. Both of the McKell brothers, of whom I was an associate at the time, had known of my recent intentions to walk away from the organization. Marie…" James stopped suddenly as the tone in his voice changed for a split second. "Something in me just seemed to snap at that moment as I was helped up, seeing Marie lying there. I went to go see the younger of the two brothers, Andre, at one of our bases of operation immediately after. What followed next was…" James stopped himself.

Judy, her ears suddenly raised high over her head, felt as a sudden sense of fear grew inside her as she suddenly saw for what seemed a slight second, fury and rage cross James face. "The horrors I did to Andre and two of his associates that day…" James stopped talking again as he began to feel both sides of his face, the horrible memory of blood and torn flesh everywhere, before looking down at both of them. "I was no better than the savage foxes from ancient times." James closed his eyes, still breathing deeply before opening them again. "After it was all over, I called William, the older brother, from the phone right there in the office. Still breathing heavy, I quietly listened as William picked up the phone, expecting to hear his brother's voice call out to him. I just continued to sit there, in the midst of all the carnage in that room and spoke to him in a calm manner, telling him exactly what I had done and what I planned to do to him for attacking Marie. I became a dead mammal at that moment." James let out a deep sigh. "So I just went home to the house Marie and I were living in at the time, still soaked in Andre's blood. I knew I had least two hours until William would be able gather enough muscle to challenge me, so I began preparing myself in the house for the fight that was no doubt about to come to me and simply waited."

"But still, why not…" Judy started to speak.

"I was not expecting to walk out of that house alive that night, Judy." James interrupted her. "I knew the amount of force that was about to come down on me. It was only due to Johnathan and also my friend Grey, showing up in the end, that I am even here talking to you today." James, leaning forward slightly and placing his arms on his knees lowered his head to the floor. "Grey, bless him, was called by Jessica just after I had hung up the phone with her. Jessica told Grey he needed to get over to my house immediately. Grey, years ago, had gotten himself drawn into a corner and asked for a favor from Jessica's family. So Grey was bound by our set of laws and rules to honor a debt when it is called in. Johnathan, Jessica's grandson, on the other paw was a total surprise when I learned how Grey was able to get me to safety and survive. Hearing his grandmamma talking to Grey about me, he immediately left with a few of his most trusted polar bears and, by some miracle, were able to intercept William and the second team on route to my house and stop them.

"But I still don't understand something." Judy spoke suddenly, recalling something from James' story, as she gazed back at James. "How were you able to disappear and remain hidden for so long?"

"Johnathan." James replied. "He helped plan and execute the whole thing himself." James leaned back and crossed his leg once again. "I knew I was being monitored by the organization. Marie and Nicholas were still living at my uncle's house in the meadowland district, I stayed in the city to help keep them safe and out of harm. William had tried a further two times by then to take me out. I nearly escaped the second time by the tip of my tail. Marie and I knew it would only be a matter of time before they or someone else would succeed. The price I had on my head at the time would have probably even made you forget you were a cop. I know personally, it did for one in the ZPD. I think the only reason I was still around after three years was because mammals in the underworld I had lived in for so long knew who they were dealing with. The night they tried to kill me, the organization lost some of their best mammals by my own paws. So I needed a way out."

"Everything had to be done precisely at the correct time in order to throw everyone off the trail. Johnathan had one of his men wire explosives to my car. The bomb, once activated, would activate a light within the car, allowing me about ten seconds to escape. The plan was to allow the individuals watching me to catch sight of me getting into the car I was driving at the time as I was about to leave the city. Once I stared up the car, one of Johnathan's men tripped the explosives and ten seconds later the massive explosion destroyed the car in full view of the public street."

"But how were you able to…" Judy began to speak quickly before being stopped by James again.

"Unknown to anyone, except for Jonathan and two of his most trusted bears, I had a small trap door along the driver side floor made a few years prior. Once the light was activated, I exited the car by the trap door and slid into a storm drain along the gutter just as the bomb went…" James stopped speaking suddenly as the sound of movement once again coming from the other side of the wall caused him to fidget slightly. Judy, noticing this suddenly movement, turned also toward the room's glass sliding door before turning back to James.

"But your body, wouldn't they have found remains in the car?" Judy asked.

"Well, that was also Jonathan's doing. You see, he had a useful contact that had supplied him a recent deceased fox." James, quickly seeing the shock spread across Judy's face cut her words off quickly. "The fox had died of natural causes, Judy, I can assure you of that." James, sitting up to his full height, motioned to Judy throwing out his paws. "As I got into the car, the other fox had already been placed in the back seat, covered. The amount of destruction the bomb created ripped the car to shreds, making it impossible to find all the pieces." James, taking a deep breath, lowered his head yet again. The only thing I regretted that day above all else was that the plan injured twelve bystanders severely in the process. The youngest being a little porcupine walking along the sidewalk with his mother."

"After that, Jonathan helped smuggle me out of the city and to Clarabelle Island where he had a relation there. Everyone pretty much bought that I had died from that car explosion, everyone except William. But without physical evidence he had not much to go on. Jonathan had an unknown contact claim responsibility for my death and collected the heavy reward. Jonathan then had that money set aside for Marie and Nicholas in a bank account. A year later, Marie moved house from my uncle's old house to back to the city. Jessica would always send me new photos of Nicholas growing up during the times they would visit her and Jonathan's house. She used to say in her letters how much he had inherited my personality."

"So that's how…" Judy, spoke slowly before stopping suddenly. Brushing the back of her head, her ears hanging down, she turned toward Nick as she watched his chest rise and fall gently. "That night… years ago when Nick and I first met, after I had hustled Nick into helping me find Mr. Otterton and…" Judy stopped once again, now recalling in her mind, being lead into a familiar office by two massive polar bears. "Mr. Big and Nick… it was because of you that he knew Nick for so many years." Judy continued to process in her mind.

"Wait, wait, wait…wait a minute", James spoke suddenly, waving his paws in front of him again, suddenly chuckling out loud as he began to lean forward. "Did I just hear you right, you hustled my son, Nicholas?"

"I had too you see, I…" Judy stared to speak. "I had just started as a police…"

"No, no, no." James began to repeat, raising his paws again up and smiling broadly back at Judy before turning toward Nick in the bed. His smirk, Judy quickly noticed crossing his muzzle was almost identical to Nick. "You don't have to explain anything, I just found that… when Marie would talk about you to me sometimes, I truly though she may have been exaggerating in some parts. Jonathan was never a mammal that would forget injustices, like what Nicholas did to his family and that whole skunk butt rug incident." James laughed slightly, thinking back to that particular event. "Jonathan's promise to his grandmamma was such that I had to remind him when he wrote to me on the island after the incident. Jessica and Marie were so close, the two of them." James lowered his voice to a whisper, reaching slowly into the inside of his coat pocket and withdrew his small photo of Marie and him together. Lightly rubbing the face on the photo of Marie, James blinked as he felt his heart skip for a fraction of a second as he continued to look at the picture. "She loved you, Marie did, so much." James smiled back at the picture. "It was because of you, Judy, Nicholas reconnected with his mother." James smiled again, now more broadly. "I still remember when she called me after talking with Nicholas after all those years, all she really could talk about was you. I had just arrived back at my flat that I was staying at when the phone there started to ring. Only two people knew of the phone to where I was staying. She started describing you to me from Nicholas' own description of you, talking about this young grey bunny cop that had somehow stolen her son's heart. How he was falling ears over tail for her." James simply looked back at Judy. "I was the proudest father that night Marie called me, years ago, when Nick returned to the old farm house where Marie had moved back to. She told me all about how nervous he was, coming back to see her face to face after so many. But most of all, when he had asked her if what he was planning to do later that evening I would have approved, if I had not died in the explosion. She said to him I would have wanted him to be happy, which was true." James continued to smile as he began to lean back against his chair. "I knew right then and there, Nicholas…"

"That was the night he proposed." Judy spoke suddenly. "He told me how he had called and reconnected with her, I think it was a year prior to that night. But due to me and work, he had not been able to find the right time to go see her. When he told her about what he was about to do, she was so happy for him. She told me the night before the wedding how she had given Nick her old wedding ring you had given to her." Judy, smiling back at James, felt her right paw cross over to her left as she began to touch a white gold ring with a small sapphire set into it on her paw finger. "Nick told me he went to an old friend to have it reduced slightly for me before he gave it to me that night. I felt so honored that day to have something so beautiful." James, still looking at Judy, remained silent as Judy continued to speak. "We were both coming off duty early that morning he went to see her. I had mentioned as we were about to leave, why not the both of us just head over to my place and spend the day together, since it was the closest. But he told me, sadly, that he needed to go and see someone very important in the meadowland district he had been meaning to see. Before leaving, like he did every day, he bent down and kissed me goodbye before lifting me up and embracing me. Setting me down afterwards, he asked me if I would meet him at our favorite restaurant, Ratatouille, for dinner later that night. I thought it seemed somewhat weird at the time, but being Nick… I just said yes, kissing him back before watching him rush off out of headquarters." Judy began to laugh out loud.

"You helped Nicholas become the fox Marie and I always wanted him to become, Judy, you know that?" James, getting out of his chair and standing up to his full height, turned around as he now came face to face with the closed window. "After Marie and Nick had their falling out when he was twelve, there was a time she felt I should have come out of hiding to help Nicholas." Placing his paws behind his back, James simply continued to stare out into the dark morning skyline. "Nicholas and I were quite the same in our youth, thick headed and uncontrollable at times.

"So why come out of hiding now?" Judy asked cautiously, staring at James back.

Turning around to face Judy, James looked toward her before lowering his head as he began to make his way back to Nick's bed. A few months ago I go a letter from a contact here in Zootopia. In the letter they told me about a plot involving your family. I immediately left the island for the mainland the next day. With the help of my friend Grey, we were able to track down and find my old friend Drake Grounder in order to gain some information. That and I had some unfinished personal business with him and I need to get resolved, pertaining to Nick's mother and that night…" James began rubbing the back of his head as he turned again.

"But then it, it must have been you who k…" Judy started too asked suddenly.

"No, I did not kill Drake, if that was what you were about to imply." James answered Judy's question before she was able to finish. "But I have a good idea who did. When I heard the news of his death I immediately knew something happened that did not seem right."

"How?"

"After Grey and I stopped little Marie from being kidnapped…" James listened as Judy suddenly inhaled slightly. "Yes, we were both there." James spoke in a casual tone. "I shot the wolverine struggling with Marie and Grey quickly subdued a brainless young lion. I tried to help Marie as best as I could, I started to bandage her up before the ZPD started to swarm the area. She was so disoriented from the stuff the wolverine had injected her with. During our…well, let's just say for the lack of a better word, talk with the young lion, my suspicions were proven right with the information Drake had let slip. I now know exactly what I am working with." Looking suddenly down at his wristwatch, James turned back to Judy, knowing he only had minutes before the two of them would be suddenly interrupted by one of the floor duty nurses coming in to check on Nick's vitals. "I sorry, Judy, but I need to go."

"But…how will I…" Judy jumped to her feet without finishing her words as she immediately rushed toward James as he began pass by her, grabbing on to his arm.

"Judy." James spoke softly, slow embracing her in his arms. "We'll see each other again soon, don't worry." Judy, her arms wrapped lightly around his midsection, she felt her head begin to rest deeper on James' chest. James, moving one of his paws from along the back of her shoulders slowly moved up to her ears, softly brushing one after the other with the pads of his paw. Releasing her from him he held a paw out and clutched his daughter-in-law's chin as he stared to notice tears forming from in her eyes. "Keep yourself and, most importantly, your family safe, Judy. Remember these words my father told me growing up, Wilde's always…"

"…Protect the family." Judy finished in a low tone smiling back him, remembering Marie telling her about the old Wilde family motto from long ago. "Marie told me the motto after we told her she was going to be grandmother."

James, smiling back, continued to hold her chin in his open paw as a thought suddenly crossed his mind. Placing the old small photo of both him and Marie gently in her paw, he looked into Judy's eyes. "Take this. She'll keep you safe, just like I will always will."


	15. Disbelief and Hidden Feelings

Chapter Fourteen – Disbelief and Hidden Feelings

 _558 Burrow Lane - Zootopia_

"Tabby, when was this photo taken?" Marie asked walking slowly into Greg's and Tabitha's kitchen, wearing black leggings and white short dress, as she raised her eyes toward a small kitchen table ahead of her. It had been a little over two weeks since the attempted murder on Nick's life. Judy had spent yet another night at the hospital at Nick's side and Marie and Leo had now been staying at Greg's and Tabitha's place on regular basis. Since receiving the news of Anna Ruskoff's early release from prison both Chief Higgins and, to the surprise of Judy herself, James felt safe with the arrangements. Tabitha, her fur slightly ruffled along her neck and face, sat at a breakfast table just off the kitchen wearing a long white dressing robe covered in, what appeared to be, small black skulls.

Laughing playfully suddenly to her daughter Maye, Tabitha bit into a small piece of her daughter's toast. Not realizing it was covered in bug jam, she swiftly turned up her noise as she began gaging slightly on the disturbing taste now in her mouth. Lowering the small piece of toast back to her daughter's plate Tabitha turned as she picked up a small glass of celery juice, taking a strong gulp of it. "What photo hun?" Tabitha asked, coughing lightly as she caught sight of Marie before reaching for a bare piece of toast sitting on the table. She noticed Marie carrying something in her paws.

"This old one here, with you and mom. It looks like you two are at some kind of concert I think." Marie replied, setting down a small book full of old photos on the kitchen table before pointing a photo, lowering herself down into the seat next to Tabitha. "I found this book last night in the guest closet when I was putting my bag away."

"Oh god…" Tabitha spoke suddenly in surprise, catching sight of a photo of her younger self smiling back. Grabbing the small photo book in her paws, Tabitha slowly began turning a few of the pages within the book. "I have not looked at these photos in over fifteen years. Look how your father's fur was so red back then." Tabitha pointed to an old photo of Nick with Greg at the beach wearing an open button down short sleeve shirts and beach shorts. Greg, shirtless and more muscular, was holding Tabitha across his arms. Turning back a few pages to the photo Marie had pointed to, a slow smile began to grow across Tabitha's face. "How young we all were, looking back at these, your mother and me. Your father doesn't have a speck of grey fur on him." Tabitha spoke pointing to another photo with Nick and Greg together. "I remember this photo now." Tabitha continued to speak, staring at the photo Marie had motioned to. "Yes, this was at a concert the year after you and Leo were born." Lifting the clear protective sheet from the page, Tabitha began to remove the photo, holding it up.

"What was it? Some old country band like Raccoon Flats I bet?" Marie began to laugh lightly. "Dad still likes listening to that kind of stuff every so often in the car."

"No it wasn't Raccoon Flats." Tabitha laughed back. "I'm sorry but I would not be caught dead at one of their concerts. I want to think I have better taste in music then your father. "No, the picture of the two of us was when your parents, Greg and I were at the farewell concert tour of Def Leopard, in the Tundra District. We must have been there for at least…"

"Whoa… what?" Marie spoke suddenly interrupting Tabitha, a look of complete disbelief crossing her muzzle. "You guys went and actually saw Def Leopard perform live?" Marie asked, still unable to believe what she had just heard. "No, there is no way mom or dad would ever go and watch Def…"

"Your mom and dad did much more than just watch, honey." Tabitha interrupted "Hold on a moment." Tabitha replied, quickly turning a few pages more in the book. "I know it's in here somewhere. I remember putting it in here with…" She stopped quickly at a page containing what appeared to be a few photos hidden behind one another. "Here it is." Peeling back the thin plastic protective sheet holding the photos down, Tabitha, fumbling slightly with a few of the photos, set the old book down on the table. Removing one of them from the other, Tabitha's grin began to grow even wider now. "Here you go, honey, look for yourself." Tabitha handed Marie the photo.

Smiling up from the photo, Marie's eyes suddenly grew rapidly as she began to stare back at the photo, turning her gaze back to Tabitha and back to the photo in her paws. Her parents, smiling happily back, were standing next to a rather tall muscular white leopard wearing only a pair of dark leather pants, his fur slightly damp with sweat. Tabitha, smiling still even more broadly, watched Marie's look of shock pass over her with a sense of satisfaction. "That was taken right after the last encore the band had performed for the fans. Your parents had been asked to be the personal guests of the lead singer, Joey Elliocat that evening. Elliocat had been a very big admirer of your parents since the nigh howler case all those years ago. He wanted to thank them for all the work they done for the city and also being one of the first ever open interspecies couples. That is them, back stage with him just after the show had finished. Your parents had the band invite Greg and myself to join them that night."

"Sweet cheese and crackers! Marie quickly shouted out loud, rising up from the chair as her left foot suddenly pounded on the kitchen floor.

"Whoa, Marie, keep it down, there is a pup in the room." Leo suddenly spoke as he entered the kitchen area, wearing a plain green t-shirt and jeans, laughing as he pat Maye lightly on her head.

"Leo… look at this, both mom and dad are with Joe Elliocat, of Def Leopard." Marie shouted back at her brother suddenly thrusting the old photo at him.

"What?" Leo spoke, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "There is no way in hell…" His eyes suddenly caught the picture his sister was holding before grabbing at it. Staring back at the photo fully, his eyes shifted back to Marie and then to Tabitha. "Tab, this can't be real." Leo asked, wishing it was true.

"Oh it's real alright, Leo." Tabitha began to laugh as she now watched as her husband Greg slowly entered the kitchen setting his police duty bag on the floor. Walking over to his young daughter Maye, Greg kissed her on the forehead before turning back and kissing his wife as he stand down next to her. "Greg, tell these two doubters about that night we all hung out back stage with Def Leopard."

"You mean with Joe Elliocat and his pride?" Greg spoke, turning his head to look at Leo and Marie before turning to Tabitha, now all huddled around the breakfast table. Rising up from his chair, he walked over to pour himself a fresh cup of coffee from the counter. "Now that is something I would love to be able to do again." Greg spoke, setting the coffee pot down before raising a cup up to his muzzle, eyeing his wife. "If my memory is correct, weren't you behaving rather grabby with the bass player, Rick Savage, that evening in the lounge room Tabby?

"What? No… no he… I didn't." Tabitha suddenly began to call out, her voice rising quickly as she began to feel her face grow red.

"Yeah." Greg replied leaning and resting his back against the kitchen counter, raising his cup once again to his muzzle. "Yeah, I remember now, the two of you were huddled together on that plush couch in the lounge. He was playing with your ears, twirling them all around with his paw finger and you were…"

"Greg!" Tabitha shouted suddenly rising from her own chair, causing both Leo and Marie jump slightly. "Can you please… for the love of everything, just take these two foxes to school?" Tabitha spoke in a high pleading tone as she suddenly held out a shaking paw to her daughter, who up until then had not spoken a word, motioning her to follow her. "This is not the time or the place for this kind of discussion, especially for you, puppy face." Tabitha motioned to her wolf daughter.

"Mom, what were you doing with…?" Maye began to ask in a soft low voice as both she and her mother began to walk down the hallway.

"Nothing, dear." Tabitha replied quickly, looking down at her daughter before turning into a room. "Go and wash up now puppy, before you head to school."

 ** _Seven Hours Later…  
_** _Zootopia High School_

"Leo, hey Leo, wait up!" A female voice was suddenly heard calling out from among a mass of students, pouring out from the set of wrought-iron gates of Zootopian High School.

Walking at a steady pace toward the direction of Main Street, Leo stopped just shy of a busy intersection along the corner of street leading from the school. Turning his head, his ears shifting rapidly atop his head to the sound of his name being called, he quickly started to gaze back along the street. A small group of fellow students now hurrying along the sidewalk past him, Leo watched as they passed still not knowing who had called out to him. Turning around once again, he slowly began to step out along the crosswalk leading to the opposite side of the road, leading to the center of town.

"Leo!"

A slight moment of fear bursting out from within him, Leo turned suddenly as the feeling of a soft light brown paw lightly grasped his arm. He caught sight immediately of a very young attractive vixen, wearing a pair of blue jeans and white short-sleeve blouse whose eyes were suddenly alight with fear. Feeling his heart suddenly jump for the slightest second, both Leo and the young vixen stood unmovable from their present position along the crosswalk, their eyes locked on one another. It was Susan Hunterton, his sister Marie's oldest and closet friend, who for years he had deeply hidden feelings for. "Susan, I…beautiful…I mean, hi." Leo suddenly rambled quickly off, his mind completely struck dumb.

Hearing the rapid blow of a vehicle horn, both Leo and Susan turned as one as a large package truck stopped quickly just shy of them, standing within the roadway. Acting quickly, Leo, without thinking or knowing what he was doing, reached and grasped lightly Susan's arm, quickly leading her to the opposite side of the intersection. Leo, in that moment, struggling to think clearly, listened angrily as a clear male voice from the package truck shout suddenly from driver side window, "Dumb foxes!" Standing now safely on the sidewalk, Leo narrowed his as he continued to watch the package truck pass by them before turning back to Susan. Finding himself still unable to fully speak, Leo, adjusting his messenger bag over his shoulder, felt himself swallow rather hard as he continued to stare back at Susan.

"I ah… I notice you were not leaving with what's his name, your dad's friend he works with, Hind…something and I…" Susan spoke first, a slight nervous tone to her voice, as her words quickly began to falter. Grasping suddenly at her own bag in front of her, her arms draped through the shoulder straps, she pressed the straps tighter against her chest as a faint smile began to form along her face.

"What? Oh… yeah, you must mean Hindquarter. Yeah…" Leo raised a paw to the back of his neck as he began to rub it slightly. "He is my dad's sergeant at the 3rd. My mom instructed him to keep an eye on me. I thought during last period to try and go over to the hospital to be with my mom." Leo replied back as he watched Susan raise a paw now to the side of her head, slowly grabbing at her the tip of her left ear and rubbing it slightly. "The doctors informed us last evening that the swelling near and around dad's spine has decreased well enough, they feel it may be safe to start bringing him out of his…" Leo, suddenly realizing something, turning to look across the street and along path leading to the school, a look of worry started to form across his face. "Why are you not with Marie, I thought she said she was going with you to your house after school?

"Later." Susan replied quickly. "She told me during lunch that she wanted to go early over to the college campus she's going to be going to on the other side of town and meet with one of the counselors there. That other female officer that works with your dad, Pawler, was going to take her there and then drop her off at my house." Susan spoke more confidently. "Would you mind if I maybe tag along with you?" Susan, immediately after saying this, felt her face suddenly become hot.

"Leo!"

Jumping slightly to the sound of his name being called once again, both Leo and Susan turned as an unmarked police cruiser screeched to a sudden stop along the side of the main roadway, its lights along the dashboard flashing in the sunlight. "Leo, what have we told you about leaving school and not informing us where you are?" Sargent Hindquarter, his voice one of alarm, called out from the passenger window as he leaned over from the driver seat. "You mother told you, Leo. Damn it. If something would happen to you, I swear, your mother will shove her foot so far up my tail I will have…"

"Joe, I am sorry, alright." Leo replied quickly, raising a paw rapidly into the air. "I just felt like walking down to the hospital to see mom and dad, you know, clear my head a little without having a swat team following around me, you know."

"Leo, what does everyone keep telling you?" Joseph started once again, this time turning toward Susan before turning back to Leo. "With Anna Ruskoff out of prison now, both you and your sister are prime targets. It's been almost two weeks and we don't know where she's gone." Joseph, looking over a second time toward Susan standing next to Leo, lowered his head for a split second before raising it back to Leo. "Come on, I'll give you lift downtown. You need a lift home, Miss?" Joseph spoke to Susan as she took a step back, allowing Leo to move toward the police cruiser.

"If it's alright, Joe… do you think maybe Susan might be able to come along with me?" Leo, walking up to the window now, leaned slightly against the car as he spoke softly to Joseph.

"Sure, why not." Joseph motioned toward Leo, a smile forming across his muzzle "Hop in, the both of you." Joseph spoke out loud. Opening the back passenger door, Leo, motioning to Susan, watched as she cautiously walked over and began lowing herself down into the back seat, before closing the door and opening his own, taking the seat next to Joseph. Joseph, leaning across the driver side of the car, lowering his voice suddenly back to whisper, motioned to Leo, "Not bad, Leo, she is definitely a keeper." Leo, smiling back and his face growing slightly red, lightly punched him in his right arm as Hindquarter slowly began to pull away from the side of the street.

Sitting quietly in a heavily worn and stained car, a male wolf and raccoon sat along the driver and front passenger seat. Both mammals, not saying so much as a word to one another, turned to each other before looking back out on to the street and continued to watch as the unmarked cruiser began to slowly pull away. Pressing a button on the face of a small cell phone which had been sitting in the lap of the raccoon, he raised it to his ear as the wolf next to him quickly threw the car into drive. "He's heading for the hospital." The slightly high tone in the voice of the raccoon began speaking to an unknown individual on the other end of the phone. After a few seconds of listening, the raccoon spoke once again. "What about the vixen he is with, could she be worth something?" The raccoon spoke once more, listening carefully to the unknown voice coming from the phone before replying slowly, a smile emerging from his face, "Understood".


	16. Would She Love Me?

Chapter Fifteen – Would She Love Me?

"… Doctor Cheviot has noted in her last report that Nick was responding more strongly to the stimulations we were administrating to the pads of his lower paws. This is great news because it is tells us is a lot about… Leo?" Doctor Meerburg spoke suddenly, stopping herself in mid-sentence as she glanced surprisingly toward the hospital room's glass door. "How are you?"

Judy, turning around quickly to the sound of her son's name, began to smile as she happily watched Leo slowly enter the room. Rising from her chair, positioned alongside Nick, Judy rushed over and embraced her son warmly. "Leo, you should have told me you were coming but… wait, where is Joseph?" Judy, her face quickly changing and showing a trace of fear and worry, raised her long ears high above her head as she spoke quickly, "Why is he not with you?"

"Mom, it's alright." Leo replied quickly. "He's just outside in the hallway with Susan." Taking a short breath, he turned his head back toward a set of hospital bench seats positioned along the opposite wall. His eyes, catching sight of Susan's own soft brown, felt the back of his neck suddenly burn slightly as he watched her smile at him. Slightly dropping her own gaze, Susan lowered her head down as she began to smile uncontrollably as she took a seat alongside Joseph, her own face glowing as she shyly began to rub her left ear once more.

"Susan?" Judy's left ear suddenly fell slightly as her head tilted slightly. "But… why would she be with you Leo? I thought Marie and her were…"

"Marie decided to go to St. Francis College to talk to a counselor." Leo replied quickly. "Susan, she… ah… sort of stopped me you could say, just… as I was leaving school, walking towards downtown." Leo, catching his mother's fearful gaze suddenly spoke once again. "Mom, I know what you're going say." Leo, reaching out and grasping his mother shoulder, continued to speak. "I just… I just needed some time to think ok, I can take care of myself. I don't need the ZPD following me every time I go somewhere." Leo, letting go of his mother and turning, began to walk slowly up toward the room's now open window. "Most of my friends have stopped asking me around, mostly because there's always an officer following close behind me."

Judy, hearing her son's words let out a low sigh, lowering her own eyes to the floor before looking back up at him. "I'm sorry, Leo, I guess I forgot what it's been like for the two of you. I've just been so worried about you and your sister, I forgot…" Judy began to speak.

"I know mom, I know. Both Marie and I hear practically every day about how the ZPD is still on high alert." Leo, without realizing it, began to lower himself as he hunched over slightly, inserting both his paws slowly into his pants pockets as he leaned against the wall alongside the window. "We've always know, Marie and I, the risks of being a part of this family. I mean, how many times have you and dad been a target in this city? Dad…" Leo paused for a slight moment before continuing. "Before all this happened…" Leo, withdrawing a paw from a pocket, raised it toward his father in the bed. "…told me about the time the both of you were the target of some predator. He told me about the time when he came home one evening and found you sleep on the bed with us. You had both of us all huddled close to you for protection and…"

"Commander?"

Joseph, emerging from the hallway, his ears now lowered along his head, lowered his head quickly before raising it back up, a cell phone now clutched tightly in his right paw. "Commander, I'm sorry, but it's Chief Higgins, he wants an update on the task forces progress. What do you want to do?"

Judy, gazing back at Leo and then turning around face Nick, quickly looked back to Joseph. "Go. I'm going to stay here. Get back to headquarters and report what we have at this time."

"But, what about you and Leo, Commander?" Joseph replied. "The oncoming shift is not scheduled to be here till…"

"We'll be fine Joseph." Judy replied looking back at him smiling. "Tell Higgins that the doctors informed me that they feel it's safe to finally wake Nick and I wanted to be by his side when this happens, he'll understand."

Joseph, hesitating for a slight moment began to turn quickly, disappearing as both Judy and Leo turned back to one another. Judy suddenly remembering turned quickly back to Doctor Meerburg, a look of complete disbelief crossing her face. "I'm so sorry Joyce, I completely forgot about you, I'm sorry, you were saying?"

Doctor Joyce Meerburg, who during the heartfelt exchange that was taken place before her regarding Judy and her son, had without notice taken a seat alongside Nick's bedside. Rising back up, Joyce simply smiled back to the two of them. "If you would like some more time I could come back?"

"No, Joyce, please it's alright." Judy replied quickly.

"If you are sure then?" Joyce spoke again, reopening the medical file held in her paws. Flipping back a few pages, Joyce began scanning once more the notes from her fellow doctors. "Again, the stimulation test we have been performing on Nick's rear paws. We are seeing strong paw movement each time it's been performed, which is telling us that it seems the pressure along his spine has gone down. Doctor Strip still recommends caution in removing the sedation. But both Doctor Cheviot and I feel we are well below that level of worry.

"When would you be able to remove the sedation for my dad?" Leo spoke suddenly, his gaze now fixed solely on Doctor Meerburg.

"Now, if you would like." Joyce spoke turning and gazing at Judy and then back to Leo. "Or would you like to wait till the whole family is here to be with him?"

"Now would be fine, Joyce. I do not think Marie would mind not being here." Judy, swallowing hard, felt herself suddenly begin to tremble as she began to replay in her mind all the many events and emotions she had endured over the course of the last few weeks.

"Give me a moment and I'll be right back." Joyce spoke, walking out of the room and towards to two nurses a little bit away, sitting at one of the floor stations.

"So how are you and Susan?" Judy spoke suddenly in a low voice without warning, slowly turning back to her son. Leo continuing to stand along near the window, Judy raised one of her eyebrows in a motherly, sly fashion.

Leo, catching his mom's face, suddenly raised himself back to full height, his mind becoming completely blank as he began to utter. "Susan? Well, she… I mean to say, we aren't… I, well…"

Judy, hearing her son struggling with his words began to smile broadly as both her ears began to rise slightly. "Leo it's alright." She spoke softly, walking slowly up to her son and embraced him. "If there is one thing I love about you it's that you are just like your father." Judy laughed as she raised herself up on her toes and kissed Leo on the cheek. "She is a very sweet vixen, you know. Don't you think it's time you just accept your feelings and tell her?"

"Mom, it's not… it's just…" Leo started to speak in a low voice.

"Leo, listen to me." Judy, grabbing a hold of his paws, began to lower him onto a couch along side the window. "Both your father and I were in the same position you are now when we realized we had strong feeling for one another. We were so worried about what if we were wrong or would it hurt the friendship we already had with one another. But it felt even more wonderful when we both told one another our true feelings." Judy, sitting down next to him, leaned her head softly against his shoulder as she rested a paw on his leg. "Let her know how you feel, Leo. I have seen the two of you fidget around one another for far too long." Judy, smiling as she gazed toward Nick, she began thinking of that day long ago during their first unofficial case together, under the bridge with Nick. Closing her eyes she began to rub her face against Leo's arm. "Just do me a favor Leo and try not to get too emotional when you tell her." Judy paused. "You are half bunny after all you know." Judy looked up at Leo as she said a few last words. "You do take after me a little in that department."

"Thanks a lot, mom." Leo replied, letting out a slight laugh as he reached around his mother and hugged her gently.

Judy, lifting her head off his shoulder, looked up into his young eyes still smiling and gave him another soft kiss, this time on the tip of his muzzle before quickly saying. "Now, how about we ask Susan if she would like to come in and join us?" Judy, still smiling, rising up, quickly began to walk back over to the edge of Nick's bed before suddenly calling out into the hallway where Susan was currently sitting all alone now. "Susan?" Judy called out happily.

"Yes Mrs. Wilde." Susan called back.

"You are more than welcome to come and sit in here, hun." Judy replied back. "Don't be afraid."

Slowly and cautiously after a few moments, Susan, her body crossing the open door frame, began to peer into the room. Smiling rather shyly Susan dropped her head once again as she passed Leo, who had gotten up and moved close to his mother, before turning toward the small sofa. "I'm sorry to intrude… I just…"

"It's alright Susan, we…" Judy began to speak before suddenly hearing the voice of Joyce as she return with two nurses. In the minutes that followed, it was as if no one could fully bring themselves to utter a single word. Judy, slowly taking a seat in a chair next to Nick, her paws now clutching tightly to her son's arm, watched worryingly as Doctor Meerburg and one of the nurses that followed her into the room disconnected a line in Nicks paw. Withdrawing a single syringe from her coat pocket, Joyce walked over to Nicks left side and inserted the syringe into Nick's left hind leg.

"Now, he will be a little light headed and weak when he starts to wakes up." Joyce said as she started to slowly press down on the syringe "We need to all just be sure he keeps his heart rate down at a steady pace and not overwhelm him."

Rolling his head slowly to the right, then to the left, Nick slowly began to open his eyes. His right ear twitching suddenly, Nick found his mind clouded and unable to comprehend fully his surroundings. His vision blurred heavily by his inability to focus correctly, he listened as the sound of a high pitched beep seemed to echo with every beat of his heart. Feeling his chest pulse from within Nick took a sudden, deep breath. The oxygen mask still over his muzzle began rushing large amounts of air into his lungs causing him to cough heavily. Closing his eyes, tears suddenly forming from the pain erupting in his throat, he weakly struggled to raise a paw up to his face as he felt along the thick plastic mask covering his muzzle.

"Mr. Wilde, you're alright, just take deep slow breaths." Joyce spoke quickly, placing her paws on his chest and head. "I'm going to remove your mask now and I want you to take a slow deep slow breath for me, ok, and then hold it in for a second." Joyce said, slowly removing Nick's mask from him. Setting it down on the bed Joyce continued to watch Nick carefully. "Now, let it out slowly. Good." Joyce spoke, watching Nick exhale slowly, noticing his breathing now became steadier now. "You need to let your body adjust fully, your muscles are going to be weak from the lack of use."

Nick, his eyes still closed and watering slightly, took a slow and steady breath once again. His nose, now free of the mask, suddenly began to become aware of a familiar scent around him. Nick, struggling with his senses, suddenly remembered that familiar aroma of honey and carrot filling within him. He began to turn his head along the right side of his pillow. Opening his eyes ever so slightly, Nick quickly finding what he desperately longed for, now gazed into a pair of soft violet eyes. His heart rate increasing, Nick softly began to utter in a low tone, "Hey there cottontail." Nick, coughing slightly, smiled happily back at Judy. "Mom said to say hi." Judy, tearing up immediately, suddenly wrapped her arms lightly around Nick's neck as she slowly began kissing him along the side of his muzzle and cheek.

 ** _Hours Later…_**

"So there is no way of knowing who is providing the money?" Nick asked, shifting his back carefully, now propped up in bed as he continued to stare back at Leo and Judy. Clutching a sheet of paper lightly in his paw, Nick reread Marie's acceptance letter from St. Francis College.

"No." Judy replied as she sat alongside Nick on the bed, both her legs tucked underneath her, as she watch her son and Susan over on the couch doing school work. Turning back to look at Nick, Judy leaned over and kissed him for the umpteenth time. Judy, feeling the happiest she had in weeks, felt a weight of fear crumble before her. After a few moments of silence she spoke once again. "I did make inquiries on the identification of this so called benefactor. The school simply said that they are not required by law to release any information on alumni members with regards to their private donations, unless evidence of a crime is called into question." Adjusting herself slightly, she placed a paw along Nick's stomach as she slowly brushed along his dressings. "Due to the fact it is not illegal or a crime for an alumni member to offer school scholarships privately, I have to come to the conclusion that this gift to Marie is valid."

Hearing the sudden closing of a book and the rustling of a bag, Judy turned her attention back towards the couch. "Susan, are you leaving?" Judy, suddenly noticed Susan standing from the couch, as she slowly placed her school bag over her shoulder.

"Yes Mrs. Wilde." Susan turned to face Judy. "My mom sent me a text message. Marie just arrived at the house so I'm going head downstairs and order an Uber to come pick me up.

"Mom?" Leo spoke suddenly in a low voice, closing a text book he and Susan were using together. "If it's alright, I'm just going to walk down with Susan so she's not by herself while she is waiting for her ride to show up."

Nick, his ears suddenly propping up as he began gazing suddenly back at his son, his all too familiar smirk slowly began to form along his muzzle, turned toward Judy before turning to see his son and Susan begin to leave.

"Alright, just but be careful and come right back." Judy replied, lightly punching Nick in his arm as she heard him begin to utter something toward the direction of Leo and Susan. "Joseph should be back soon to take us both back to Tabitha's." Judy called out, leaning forward on the bed toward the slide door as both of the young foxes stepped out.

"Ouch, carrots!" Nick fidgeted, as a slight burst of pain ran through his arm. "I wasn't going to say anything." Nick, his ears lowering back down, turned to Judy. "I swear."

"Don't you dare give me those sad kit eyes!" Judy replied quickly, watching Nick lower in his head slightly as his eyes continued to gaze up at her in sorrow. Letting out a short sigh, lowering herself down alongside him, Judy carefully began to lay her head along Nick's neck, nestling herself, as she smiled and closed her eyes. "Sly old fox." Judy laughed.

"So, what are your plans after graduation?" Leo asked softly, turning to face Susan as the elevator carrying the two of them proceeded to descend down toward the main lobby. "Are you planning on staying close to home?"

"No not really." Susan replied, nervously adjusting her bag along her shoulder. "I was recently picked up for an internship, but it is over here in downtown. Mom doesn't like it." Susan slowly stepped out as the elevator door opened onto the main lobby to toward the main entrance, Leo still right beside her. "She thinks it's too dangerous for me be around there. My cousin Ashley, she just finished law school and is now a public attorney over here, said I could stay with her at her place near city center."

"What about your dad?" Leo replied again softly.

"He doesn't really say much really, at least not when I am with him." Susan spoke again, a sadness in her voice growing. "I feel… at times he doesn't really care for me anymore." Stopping just outside of the hospital entrance, along a side path, she looked up at Leo. Leo, quickly noticing her eyes beginning to water, suddenly felt his heart sink slightly. "It's just…" Susan began to suddenly beak down and cry. "The way I see your parents up there, or when I am over with Marie and… your father and mom are so wonderful, I just…" Susan, turning away quickly, began wiping her eyes. "When I am at his house during his scheduled days with me, his wife, the way she looks at me, it's like I'm some kind of filth intruding on her and their kits lives."

Leo, walking up to her, reaching and turning her around, quickly and without thinking, suddenly embraced her in his arms. For nearly five minutes neither one of them said a word to one another. Leo, fearing she would struggle to break free from his sudden embrace, felt comforted when he sensed her grip tighten more onto him as she continued to cry. Releasing her slightly Leo, staring into her eyes, wiped a few tears away with his paw as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"No, I… I always wished you would…" Susan began to speak before the two of them began embracing once again.

"Hey there… Leo" An unknown male voice suddenly spoke from behind the two of them.

Turning around suddenly, Susan still held in his arms, Leo suddenly noticed as a short male raccoon slowly beginning to approach him and Susan. Standing a little ways off the main entrance of the hospital, his eyes glancing quickly around, Leo noticed they appeared to be completely alone. "I'm sorry, but… do I know you?"

"No… not really, but I dare say my boss will love to know more about you." The raccoon, smiling broadly, simply continued to stare back at him. "Don't worry about your female friend there." He spoke slowly pointing toward Susan. "We will take extra special care of her. The boys will see to that, so young and so fresh, I dare say." He began to laugh.

Leo, releasing Susan as his paws clenched into tight fists, suddenly rushed the Raccoon, knocking him quickly to the ground with a solid punch to his face. "Don't you ever think about touching her, you hear me?" Leo quickly shouted at the top of his lungs, hovering over the raccoon.

"Oh…" The raccoon replied slowly, rubbing the side of his jaw, shaking his head lightly, before rising to his feet. "I never said I was going to be the one to touch her."

"Leo!"

Leo, hearing Susan's scream, turned around suddenly to a tall slender wolf now holding Susan tightly from behind, Susan kicking and struggling to break free. Leo, his vision suddenly beginning to swirl and become disoriented, felt a sharp pain along his neck suddenly erupt. Turning back around to face the raccoon once again, he noticed in his increasing disorienting state a syringe in the raccoon's right paw. Rising a paw along to the back of his neck line, he felt himself start to stumble as he turned back toward Susan's direction. Hearing her screaming starting to become muffled, Leo suddenly also heard what seemed to be a familiar voice suddenly erupt close to them.

"ZPD, stop right where you are! Let her go!"

It was at that moment, Leo, as he felt himself stumble to the ground, two gun shots quickly erupted close around him. Laying on the ground, struggling to claw his way toward Susan, Leo fought to say conscious. Exhaustion quickly engulfing him, his vision fading, Leo's last physical image before succumbing to the drug racing through him, was the blurred outlines of Susan, struggling with the unknown wolf.


	17. Observations and Tribulations

Chapter Sixteen – Observations and Tribulations

"Leo! Get up, you have to get up! Leo!" Susan's voice seeming continued to echo from an unforeseen distance.

Leo had no idea where he was or how long he had been unconscious as he felt himself suddenly awaken. Finding himself sitting in what seemed to be a solitary metal chair, his head still hanging limp along his right side, Leo opened than quickly closed his eyes once again as distorted images began to flow through mind, making him light headed. Lifting and tilting his head back slightly, the early morning light slowly advanced across a heavily dirt filled floor Leo began to feel the soft warming rays slowly bathing his fur. "M… mom, Susan…" Leo slowly began to mumble before suddenly opening his eye rapidly, yelling "Susan!" followed by, "I got to…" He stopped immediately, feeling pain quickly erupt along his extremities as he attempted to get up from the chair he was currently positioned in. Lowering himself quickly back down, allowing the now pain along his wrists and feet to subside, he felt his heart beat rapidly against his chest.

Lowering and turning his head, Leo simply looked down at the multiple restraints now holding on to him, unable to fully look away from them. His mind struggled to come up with any and all explanations as to how or why he was now being held in such a manner by his front and rear paws. Each one, he noticed, seemed to be individually shackled by some combination of both leather strap and metal cuff. Quickly observing each strap in its entirety, he noticed they seemed to be tethered by some unknown object. "What the… how in the hell…" Leo started to speak, before glancing over his shoulder, following the metal chains from his chair, his eyes quickly finding the source of the tether. Lying just off behind him, as he continued to sit there, alone in the open area, an aged and rusted rolling table lay on its side, now long forgotten. Its foundation, Leo noticed as his eyes traveled along the floor, looked to have been recently altered. New molded steel, shining brightly in the sun, was clearly visible and welded into parts of the old metal foundation. Composed of a single large steel D Ring, set under a heavy half rounded piece of steel, Leo's restraint chains appeared to be attached to the D Ring.

Turning away from his restraints, his attention was now turned to the massive room around him. Leo, breathing slightly less rapidly now, he began taking in more and more of his present surroundings. For nearly ten minutes Leo's eyes continually scanned along the massive room's interior features. It was then, along one of the massive brick walls, Leo began to notice what appeared to be a large, fading advertisement sign hidden in a slightly dark shadowed alcove. Leo, his gaze undisrupted, began tilting his head slightly to one side as he began examining the now ever fading letters running across it. The letters, Leo noticed, were large; the first three, from his position, were able to stand out greater than remaining due to the low light and fading that made by the advertisement. Blinking his eyes and adjusting his vision to better compensate for the lower light, he began to read the first three letters slowly, speaking out loud the letters M, A, N. Tilting his head back up and turning to the other side of the room, away from the sun filled window from where he was positioned toward, he stared along at a mass of huge machines leading to the opposite side wall. His eyes, traveling along the continuous line of machines, quickly noticed as lines of old large corroded aluminum cans continued to sit along the machines seemingly assembly line, as if still waiting to proceed.

Leo, his ears flexing, desperately struggled to listen for anything that could tell him where he was. Taking a deep breath and exhaling rather quickly, Leo suddenly found himself coughing as he felt his mind began to struggle with his sense of smell as a faint pungent odor began to creep up on him. Feeling a sudden turning sensation deep within his stomach, he began to feel an involuntary reflex to gage slightly. Coughing slightly once again, his senses now caught up in the faint lingering odor that was unnoticed near minutes before but now began to surround the air around him. "My god, what the…" The noxious odor, a mixture of old stale aged fish and crustacean. Leo, turning back to the set of shattered glass panes in front of him, closed his eyes in the face of the morning sun as he raised his ears toward the direction of the shattered windows, trying to block out the awful smell and listen to the near outside world. "It smells as if I am in some kind of old canning factory." He told himself as he turned once more around the dirt filled room. But then that must mean…" Leo stopped talking as he began to listen again toward the shattered windows. Echoing along the slight chilly early morning, along with the soft breeze entering the seemingly abandoned factory, he began listening to the faint sounds of water, as if seemingly crashing lightly and continuously against an unknown force. "It sounds as if I'm near water or… the wharfs!" Leo spoke, turning back toward the massive set of machines, before once again turning back toward the massive fading letters, his eyes circling around the room. Staring back intently at the old dusty sign he began to re-read the letters over and over again in his mind.

"M, A, N"

"M, A, N, something, something, A, S" Leo spoke slowly, gaging the last two letters as he continued to repeat them again, over and over. Suddenly becoming silent, his eyes opening wide, he began to see past images flash before him.

"Leo, come on, Little Judy wants to thank us for coming to her party." The voice of Nick was suddenly heard in Leo's mind as he continued to stare toward the sign.

"Dad, is this old Mr. Manchas in this picture here with Mr. Big, who you use to talk about?" A very young Leo, dressed in black pants and a blue polo shirt, asked suddenly, pointing a tiny paw finger toward a small picture frame sitting along a highly ornate hallway and table, as he looked back at his father. Turning back to the photo, Leo's eyes, struggling to see more clearly over the table's edge, continued to stare carefully back at it, examining it, as Nick approached to where his son was.

"Yes it is, as a matter of fact." Nick replied, placing both of his paws on his son's shoulders. Nick, gazing down at the photo, quickly noticed the familiar older black jaguar smiling back from the photo. The jaguar, wearing a three piece brown suit, was smiling back and standing in front of what appeared to be a massive brick building. Also in the picture, Mr. Big, being held by one of his loyal polar bears, was also smiling, waving his tiny claw fingers. "That was him during the opening celebration for the company he had just started." Nick continued to smile back at the photo. "Manchas Gourmet and Prime Seafood Company."

"But I thought you said Mr. Manchas was a chauffeur for Mr. Big?" Leo asked turning to his father and then back to the photo again.

"Oh, he was Leo, he was for a time, long before you and your sister were born." Nick replied. "You see, after your mother and I solved that famous night howler case, all those years ago, you'll remember me telling you that Manchas himself was one of those victimized by the night howler drug. Except after receiving the antidote, Manchas' health began to suffer from its after effects. So after a few years in and out of the hospital, he gave up driving for Mr. Big. Later, after realizing a new talent he had developed and fine-tuned, he went back and asked Mr. Big for a startup loan and partnership in a business he wanted to start." Motioning his son away from the picture, Nick and Leo began to walk along the long ornate hallway. "Good old Manchas." Nick spoke softly, leading his son toward the sound of laughter and music coming from a room close to them. "I really think he would have become one of the finest seafood producers in Zootopia if it had not been for his passing. I know it hit Mr. Big a little more than others losing such a good friend and business partner when he heard of his passing, a few years later."

"But what happened to him, I mean, Mr. Manchas?" Leo asked stopping suddenly as he looked up at his father.

"Heart failure." Nick replied, looking back at his son motioning him again. "Sad really." Nick's head fell in regret. "Just as his business was really starting to take off and earn both him and Mr. Big a lot of money. Mr. Big sadly had to shut the company down two years after his death. Without Manchas the company just could not function properly." Nick, turning a corner with Leo following behind him, continued on. "The medical examiner later stated that the cause of the heart failure was due mainly from the night howler drug he had been exposed to years before. Due to his age and lasting damage it caused his heart, doctors said it was only a matter of time."

"Manchas!" Leo suddenly yelled out, coming out of his memory, his voice now echoing along the abandoned factory floor. "This was Mr. Manchas' old factory."

"Well… look who's finally decided to wake up?" A low female voice suddenly was heard, as the sound of a door closed loudly close by. "Didn't your parents ever teach you that it is impolite to keep your host waiting? No… I guess being a crossbreed like you and your sister… but no matter, I'm here, you're here… so…." Walking up and around the back of Leo, dressed in a pair very tight fitting burgundy pants and white blouse, Anna Ruskoff slowly glided a single paw along Leo's back shoulder blades. "Now, let me get a closer look at you." Anna, gliding her paw now along the side of Leo face, smiled eerily back at him as she continued to enjoy the moment. "Oh my, you look so much like you father, in a way." Anna, lowering her paw now to her side as she began to tilt her head slightly to one side, continued to stare back at him. "Now your eyes, so young and vibrant, I see nothing from him. It must be due to your mother and her bunny traits. Who would have thought two different species could have produced such a, you'll have to forgive me, such a… cute… kit." Anna playfully slapped each side of Leo's cheek as she spoke the word "cute" to him.

Leo, unimpressed by her actions, felt a sense of his father growing deep inside him. A faint half smile forming across his face, he looked back at her. "So let me guess." Leo paused for a second, looking Anna over before speaking. "You must be the famous Anna that I have heard so much of lately?" He paused for a minute again. "Sad really…" Leo continued, now shaking his head slightly. "I expected you to be a little taller and a bit more attractive for a wolf your age." Pausing again slightly, relishing his words, he felt his smile grow even more across his face. "I mean, come on, you must be, what, more than twice my age, am I right? Looks must not have come easy in your family." Leo, rotating his shoulder blades back slightly, looked straight back into Anna's eyes. "Ok, so you have deep age lines around your eyes and muzzle, well sweet heart, who wouldn't have them after everything you been through?" Anna unknowingly raised a paw to her face, touching lightly below her eyes as she continued to listen to Leo before dropping her paw quickly back down. Leo, noticing this swift movement, smiled as he continued on. "Well… not my mom, I mean, I have seen her still turn a few heads… but never mind." He shook his head again. "Plus, the way you are trying to desperately look younger with those clothes you are wearing, very tight fitting I must say… let me guess…" Leo scanned Anna once more over. "A size four for a size five and half, possible six, wolf. I mean… hey, 'A' for effort I must say Anna, really." Anna, closing her eyes suddenly before opening them again, felt herself begin to shake as she continued to listen. "But may I say, just between you and me…" Leo leaned slightly forward, resting a paw along his left leg. "Try not to go too quickly for the tight pants so many of the younger female predators are wearing today. Although I know I can't even begin to know the pressure you must be under, I mean come on, let's see, it would explain a lot of why…" Leo, raising himself back up, raised his right paw into the air as he spoke. "Yeah, a dead psychopathic half-sister you feel you must avenge…" Leo raised one finger. "Big and major disappointment there, but hey you're doing a great job. Next, no dreams or career to fall back on…" Leo raised another. "I mean your whole family and all the money, gone, the business itself, gone. Finally, whoopsie number thressie…" Leo raised a third and last finger. "Let's not forget the big one here, breaking out of prison and becoming a fugitive. I mean my god, holy sh…" He suddenly stopped himself. "But again… hey, what would I know, I'm just some…." Leo's words were suddenly interrupted as Ann, unable to hold back the rage building within her any longer, suddenly unleashed the full might of her fury on him. Punching Leo hard in the center of his chest with a tightly clutched fist, she quickly stood over him, continually punching him rapidly, switching back and forth between every few punches from Leo's left to the right side of his face. Breathing extremely hard, Anna, with every draw of her fisted paw, greatly increased the force in which she struck before suddenly stopping in mid strike after a few minutes.

Feeling his lungs deprived of oxygen, his chest burning with pain, he began to cough, as Leo struggled to breathe properly once again. Raising his head, his left eye quickly becoming swollen as he shut it closed, he watched blurrily as Anna, quickly turning and walking away, leaving him now hunched over in the chair. Leo, flexing his jaw slowly open and feeling pain vibrantly along it, slowly began to turn his head around as he listened to Anna's paw steps quickly began to fade. "Was it something I said?" Leo chuckled slightly, lowering his head down as he spat small amounts of blood onto the floor before raising his head back up. "Come on, I thought we were having such a lovely conversation." Coughing still, a slight chuckle escaping, he slowly pressed his back fully against the cold metal chair as he listened as the sound of a door closed behind him.

 _ **10 Hours Earlier…**_

"I do not give a dam what you think, I want every officer out and searching this city, do you understand me!" Chief Higgins, walking quickly down a narrow corridor, shouted into his cell phone. "I want all train and ferry services stopped immediately. All services that have left already I want the local law enforcement at each station searching each and everyone on board. I also want road blocks at every exit road. No one is to enter or leave this city unless they have been searched and cleared." Hanging up his cell phone suddenly, he turned and walked through a set of double doors. Higgins, coming to complete stop, felt his stomach lurch as his eyes were quickly swept away by the scene unfolding in front of him. Watching a mass of medical personnel circle around a figure laying on a medical gurney, multiple voices could be heard calling out instructions while others rushed rapidly in and out of the room. The victim, his face currently being shielded by a white and black striped tiger wearing green scrubs, seemed to lay lifeless as the sight of small amounts of blood seemed to endlessly drip lightly from one end of the gurney table containing the figure.

"Sir, I'm sorry, you can't be in here." An unknown voice suddenly called out from one side of the room.

"Shut the hell up!" Higgins, his voice cracking slightly, shouted furiously within the room. A few medical personnel positioned around the gurney suddenly stopped what they were doing as they looked in fear toward the massive hippo standing before them. "Who is in charge here?" Higgins called out.

"Chief Higgins!" A familiar female voice called out as a door to his right suddenly flew open. Joyce Meerburg, stepping out into the triage room wearing her surgical scrubs, quickly approached him.

"Joyce!" Higgins replied "Thank god, how is he, how's Hindquarter?"

"It's bad Chief, I'm sorry to have to tell you." Joyce, turning back to the gurney, watched as her medical team continued to work diligently on Joseph's seemingly lifeless body. "Sargent Hindquarter, from what we can see at this moment, was shot near close range along his right hind leg, along his inguinal ligament." Joyce stopped as she turned back to Higgins. "One of the bullets nicked the artery as it pierced his thigh and exited. The other one looks to have fractured and embedded itself into the bone near the first wound. We are going to get him in to surgery so we can stop the bleeding to the artery. Once we stop the bleeding we will be able to better stabilize him and I will be able to try and remove the bullet that is still lodged in there more safety."

"What are his chan…?" Higgins struggled to ask before stopping suddenly, hearing a voice call out in room.

"Dr. Meerburg!" The voice was coming from a tall tan and grey reindeer within the mass of personnel staring up at the two of them. "Pulse is dropping too fast; we need to get him in the OR now."

"Alright, get him in there!" Joyce called back. "I'll go scrub up; we will only have about twenty minutes from the time we clamp that artery off to repair it and release it again in order to prevent any long term damage."

"Joyce!" Higgins called out but was unanswered as he watched the short meerkat turn and rush out with two medical assistants. Moving himself to one side, pressing up against a wall along the triage room, he watched as the medical team quickly raised and lowered Joseph onto a surgical transport gurney. Higgins, catching a sight glimpse of Joseph's face as he was lifted and lowered down, watched as Joseph's body was quickly rolled past him. Joseph's long tongue, lying now out along the side of his jaw line, a rather large plastic tube was protruding out, providing his body with much needed oxygen. Walking slowly out of the triage room, Higgins, the image of Joseph still in front of him, felt his legs begin to shake violently as he suddenly stumbled to the floor along the corridor.

"Chief?" A familiar female voice suddenly shouted as the sound of paw steps quickly rushed toward him. "Chief, are you alright?" Judy, her voice in utter despair, called out as she witnessed, in horror, Higgins falling to the floor onto one knee.

"Judy!" Higgins spoke softly, feeling Judy's soft grey paws clutched onto his arm.

"Joseph! Is he alright?" Judy asked desperately before quickly catching sight of the look Higgins returned back to her. Judy, feeling herself begin to slowly fall to the ground alongside her friend simply began shacking her head. "No, no." Judy spoke lightly, tears beginning to fall from her face. For a few moments the two simply sat there unable to speak to one another.

"Chief!" A deep male voice was suddenly heard calling out from a distance. Turning a corner along the long end of the corridor, a dark stallion with light mane hair came rushing down the highly lit corridor. Frank Oats, a veteran detective within the ZPD, still wearing his police uniform, quickly caught sight of both Judy and Higgins, both now sitting on the floor, as he came to a complete stop just shy both Higgins and Judy. "Chief!" Franks spoke, breathing heavily. "Commander! We got surveillance footage."

"What!" Judy spoke suddenly, her voice cracking as she raised her head suddenly toward Oats, feeling Higgins' stubby fingers grasp onto her own. Higgins stared back at Oats, his own voice calling back. "How, where?"


	18. Reconciliation

**_Sorry to everyone for the long wait on this new chapter. Due to a recent health problem in the family I found myself having to put the story on hold. I hope you enjoy this next installment of Protect the Family. Please take a few seconds and leave a few words telling me how you are finding the story._**

Chapter Seventeen – Reconciliation

Nick, opening a solitary eyelid slightly, began to peer deep into the darkness of his hospital room, feeling a strange sense of anxiety begin to consume him. Not knowing from where or what this sense of anxiety was manifesting, he began closing his eye as his thick tail slowly curled around his body. He felt a sudden slight pain from his back and chest from lying on his left side as the medical tape covering his shaved chest stretched and a few fur hairs began ripping off of him as he moved slightly around in the bed. Reaching out slowly, intending to grab hold of Judy's short frame, Nick unexpectedly felt only emptiness. His paws searching desperately, Nick opened both his eyes as he quickly spoke, "Judy?" Adjusted himself carefully as he slowly turned onto his back and placed a paw firmly on the mattress, he began to call out to her once again. "Ju…"

"Sorry kit, but she is not here." A low, unknown deep voice, quickly interrupting, responded back to Nick from within the darkness of the room.

Breathlessly struggling to inhale, Nick, his heart rate suddenly jumping, felt for a slight moment as if he had just finished running a marathon. Turning quickly toward the sound of the low, deep voice his ears raised high and scanned along the room's interior. From within the darkness a large paw, reaching over toward a single light switch positioned along the wall next to Nick, quickly trusted the switch upward. As a small dim overhead light activated, , Nick found himself unexpectedly blinded for an instant by the sudden burst of light. Nick, turning his head sharply turned quickly back toward the direction in which he had heard the low, deep voice speak. Illuminated by light now filling the room, Nick felt himself consumed with dread and agony at the scene in front of him. Rising slowly from a large side chair positioned in the far corner of the room, his shadow casting ever larger along the side of the wall, the massive frame and dark hair of the grizzly bear, Grey, now stood at his full height.

Standing along the side of Nick's bedside, Grey, wearing a simple gray jogging suit, watched as Nick painfully shuffled over to the opposite of the bed. Feeling a deep sense of remorse as he watched Nick continue to press himself up alongside of the bed, Grey slowly began to step toward Nick. Nick, grabbing a hold of the hospital bed railing with his right paw tightly, felt his lungs still struggle to work properly as he watched Grey begin to move. "Who the …? Nick spoke quickly to the massive grizzly, before stopping, coughing, as he took a deep swallow, his eyes quickly moving up and down Grey's massive frame. "What have you done…? Where's Judy?" Nick hastily spoke, his voice becoming more aggravated.

"Calm down Nicholas, just calm down." Grey spoke in a calming voice, quickly raising both of his massive paws into the air. "Judy is completely fine." His voice still low, he took a step back for Nick's bedside. "She was right when she said that you might be a little jumpy. I'm not here to hurt you or her in any way, Nicholas." Grey continued, still taking another step back as he began moving along the side of the bed toward the foot of the bed. "My name is…"

"Grey." Another voice suddenly spoke from behind Grey, this one, more forcefully from the room's glass sliding door.

Nick, turning hastily toward the room's glass door, his eyes suddenly transfixed on the new individual entering the room, coming to a stop near the foot of Nick's bed. There, standing before him dressed in a pair of dark slacks and dark polo shirt, the aged grey fur fox that was James Wilde stood, simply staring back at his son.

"You!" Nick called out, his voice cracking slightly.

"Hello… Nicholas." James spoke in a calm manner, both foxes looking at one another, neither one of them willing to break their gaze toward the other. "Grey, go and get something to eat, you haven't eaten anything in…"

"But James, Judy told us we were to…" Grey started to reply.

"Grey!" James shouted suddenly interrupting his friend, breaking his gaze with Nick, as he turned to look back at him. "Please. It'll be fine." Reaching into his left pants pocket, withdrawing a small flip phone, he handed it to Grey. "Hold this for me." James spoke more calmly toward Grey. Taking a few steps away from the bed, grabbing a small soft padded chair from alongside the wall, he slowly began to make his way back to Nick, coming to a stop once again alongside the foot of bed. Placing the chair down, James, grasping the back end of the chair firmly, not speaking a further word, slowly lowered himself down onto it.

Grey, unable to think of any proper words to say at that particular moment, simply lowered his head as he walked over toward the room glass door. Looking back at James and then to Nick his head rising slightly, he looked on at the scene unfolding before him. James sat perfectly still alongside the foot of the bed, his right leg crossed over his left. Nick, a paw clutching at his wounded chest, slowing began to move back against the beds headboard. "I'll be back in shortly." Taking a slow deep breath, Grey exited the room, closing the door behind him.

Both foxes continued to stare back at one another as James took a deep breath and shifted lightly in his chair before saying, "By your initial welcome I can assume Judy told you by now all about our talk I had with her some weeks ago?" James, breaking the long silence, gazed back at his son, watching as Nick jerked slightly, the pain he was now experiencing along his back increasing as he tried to lower himself further along the bed. "I think the two of us need to have a little talk, about a few things."

 ** _Two Hours Later…_**

Judy, stirring as she slept, curled up on her office couch deep inside police headquarters and suddenly found she was slowly walking toward a familiar factory. Judy, her breathing increasing, turned around and found herself seemingly standing alone in a dim narrow lighted pathway. On either side of her, clustered along the pathway, she began to notice assortments of wooden creates scattered all around her. Lying here and there and along a few old rolling tables, the sight of them seemed to cause an eerie feeling to come over her. Taking a deep solitary breath, she immediately began coughing as the smell of a foul and stale odor began to quickly encompass her, revolting her, before strangely slowly dissipating, replaced by fresh cool air.

"Ju… dy." A low voice called out suddenly, slow and eerie.

Judy, her ears raising high above her head, stopped, turning rapidly around again, now peering into the deep dim lighted pathway she had unknowingly entered from. "Where? Judy spoke in a hushed voice, her tiny noise twitching rapidly, as a dark shadow seemed to suddenly pass along the right side of her peripheral vision. Turning around, facing the openness of the small cold clearing, a foul smelling odor began to manifest again.

"Tick…tock, tick… tock, Ju…dy" The voice spoke again in the same low eerie tone.

"Shut up, shut up!" Judy yelled out, her voice exploding. "Show yourself!" Judy felt as if her whole body was slowly beginning to lock up, desperately turning in every direction as she looked for the source of the voice. "I've done this before, but… where, when?" She told herself, listening desperately, standing alone in the dim surroundings as a new deep penetrating cold seemed to stab at her. Turning around yet again, Judy, her breathing becoming increasingly erratic, was completely unprepared for what was to transpire next. Gazing again into the dim emptiness of the pathway, Judy listened as what seemed to be a single piece of metal fell, striking the floor. Turning her head around, her senses desperately searching for what had caused piece of metal to fall, Judy simply continued to stare out into nothing. "I remember now… I dreamed this once before…I…"

Quickly turning back, utter fear and disbelief rained down on her in a full tidal wave of horror. Where mere seconds before she was gazing out into a seemingly empty pathway, Judy found herself now near inches away from the familiar and feared face of Natalya Specknoff. Natalya's long forgotten smile glared malevolently back at Judy. Natalya, staring back at Judy with her dead penetrating black eyes and blood matted fur, began inhaling slightly; speaking in a slow spine-chilling tone the words "times… up".

Judy, unable to fully react, fear cementing her where she stood, was immediately thrust onto the dust covered floor as Natalya struck quickly and viciously, Judy struggled in vain. Natalya, lunging furiously onto her, her fangs and claws bared, immediately began ripping and tearing into Judy's chest and face. Judy helplessly screamed on the dirt floor, tears flooding over her as Natalya held blood soaked claws around her neck. Judy felt her whole body tremble in horrible pain as Natalya's wolf canines began ripping into her throat.

"Judy!" A voice suddenly called out to her as Judy, writhing on the floor next to the couch, began screaming.

Judy, her eyes closed tightly, continued to scream as a pair of hoof fingers suddenly grasp around both her arms, supporting her. Opening her eyes, her breathing still erratic and heavy, Judy found herself staring back at the massive frame of Bogo, now kneeling down on the floor next to her. Turned her head rapidly around, finding herself safe within the confine of her office, she began to breakdown in massive tears. Immediately raising a paw to her chest, she began moving it up and along the side of her face and neck, feeling her fast pulse beat deep along the side just under her chin.

"Judy, please, it's alright." Bogo spoke again, letting go of her as he began raising himself off the floor.

"No, it's just like before… except…" Her voice shaking, she continued to ramble on in between tears. "…the gun shot… she attacked…" Judy became silent, clutching her face with both of her paws.

"Judy, here you need to drink something." Bogo spoke quickly, handing Judy a cup that had been sitting next to a silver pitcher on her desk. Reaching back up and grabbing a hold of the pitcher, he began pouring water into it. "It was just another bad dream Judy, that all." Bogo spoke, taking a step back as he returned the pitcher back to the desk, watching Judy carefully as she began to drink. For the next five minutes the two of them sat on the couch as Judy struggled to regain her composure. "When I heard you screaming, for an instant I thought…" Bogo, lowering his eyes cleared his throat. "Higgins said you would be here resting." Bogo spoke the next words carefully as looked at her. "Judy, I think we found the location Leo and Susan are at."

"Where?" Judy, suddenly jumping to her feet and feeling a pain erupt in her chest as her heart rate suddenly intensified, yelled out. Feeling herself stagger for the slightest of seconds, she steadied herself as Bogo watched her. "I'm alright Bogo, I'm sorry. Just tell me everything.

"Come on, I'll take you down to CSI. Higgins will be able to explain things more once we get there." Bogo leading the way out the door of her office, continued as he now lead Judy quickly down a long corridor toward a set of elevators. "Whatever is about to happen, he is doing something I could never bring myself to do during all my years as Chief, even back during the savage mammal attacks. He's executed city order A113."

 _(City Order A113 - Instituted by act of City Counsel, Zootopia Counsel 1824.)  
City Counsel of Zootopia hereby authorizes the current or acting Chief of Police of Zootopia full and total power in all districts, in authorizing law enforcement under his direct charge the full use of deadly force without fear of prosecution, on any or all mammals engaged in criminal actions regarding: (1) Illegal detention and/ or torture of citizen(s) for the sole purpose of infecting death. (2) Willful intent or acts of terrorism, resulting in the destruction of government or public institutions and loss of life. (3) Threatening the thorough peace and coexistence of the population of Zootopia and/or surrounding districts by means of injury or death to civilian populations. _

"A113?" Judy stopped suddenly, raising her head up as she watched Bogo pass by her before he too came to a complete stop, staring back at him. "I need a phone, Bogo; I need your cell phone right now."

"…when I look at the photo your mother had sent me of you in your uniform, I still find it hard to believe it sometimes. My son, a police officer?" James, smiling at Nick lightly scratched along the right side of his muzzle. "After she died, I sort of loss touch with many of our friends that are still around, mostly it's just Jonathan of course."

"I still don't understand, why didn't he tell me about you till now?" Nick asked, sitting upright along the bed, still processing everything James had told him over the last two hours. "I mean all these years, he knew the truth…"

"Your mother made him swear to her he would never tell you the truth." James replied. "She later regretted doing that. After losing me, because of William, she felt that if you were to learn the truth you would try to go and find me. That was just something she did not want to chance and lose you." James, lowering his head, began to shake it slightly from side to side. "In the end, she did lose you." James raised his head back up to Nick. "After the night you left the house in a fit of rage, it destroyed her. You were the most important thing in her life, Nicholas; she just didn't what you to go down that same path as I did. She called Jonathan and asked him to watch over you. She even wrote to me about it, telling me she had a feeling you would find your way into that sort of circle sooner or later. She always had a way of predicting things like that."

"Well, what else was there for us…dad?" Nick, his voice rising. "No one back than really would trust our kind. All they saw when they looked at mom and me were two shifty untrustworthy foxes."

"Nicholas."

"No…dad." Nick shouted again. "You were not there, you left remember, you…"

"Nicholas, shut up and just listen to me for a minute!" James shouted back. "Alright I get it, I hurt you, but did you even listen to word I have been saying for the past few hours? I did everything, everything to keep you and your mother safe and alive. What do you want from me, to say I'm sorry? Fine I'll say it if that's what you really want, I'm sorry. Sorry for giving up everything I love more in this world…happy now, fulfilled? I'll even say it again slower so you'll be sure to hear it clearly, I…am…sorry." James spoke in his carrying voice, saying the words slow and steady. "You have no idea what it is like for me, torn apart from my own family, no of course you don't, why should you? No not you, you were able to be there with yours, right next to your kits during important parts in their lives. When Leo and Marie celebrated their fifth or tenth birthday, or taking them on their first day of school, just simply playing with them. Just for a second, put yourself in someone else's environment. Go ahead.

Try being a father, having to watch second pawed, by means of video or photographs of their only kit growing up far away from them. Not being there to help them when times were hard, but instead being in the shadows, cleaning up their stupid messes for them." James, stared angrily back at Nick. "I struggled so much, both your mother and I together. Neither she nor I wanted this to happen, but it did Nicholas. I did everything I could to keep you alive and safe. William twice tried to use you as bait, in order to get me to show myself again. Only he still believed I was still alive. The last time, during the night you ran away from the house, you were to be picked up and brought to him directly. I learned a week before from contacts here of the plan and intervened. I walked into William's office that night with the limb of one of his lieutenant's and sat it down before him, before shooting him right there, in his chair. All those times, during your early schemes, I spent more time chasing down those wanting to tear you limb from limb, paying off or calling in favors to others to whom you owed money to or to keep them off your back. Did you ever once stop and think, did you, when you were able to leave Johnathan's house in one piece, after what you did to his grandmother, Jessica, and that goddam stupid skunk ass rug?

"You…what?" Nick, his ears lowering as he felt his head drop, he suddenly replaying all the memories and the situations he had been able to escape or left alone in his life.

"Yeah, that's right, and believe me when I say that Jonathan had a hard time with his boys, trying to severely restrain old Vladimir from ripping your head off that night when the truth came to light. I'm sure you still remember old Vlad, right?

"Yeah." Nick replied, whispering.

"I love you Nicholas, really I do." James lowered his own head. "I failed you and your mother, both as a father and a husband, to protect you both from harm. But I'll be dammed if I am going to allow some psychopathic family to hurt my grandkits." James looked up toward the clock just over Nick's head, reading the time. "When I began to hear whispers, I came back to the mainland once again to find any truth to them. Finding Drake and getting information of a plan to kidnap Marie, I knew at that moment I what I had to do. I've disclosed to Judy everything I have been able to learn and come up with so far on the mammals involved. It appears it's a brother and sister duo called…"

"Ruskoff." Nick finished. "Anna and her brother Pyetr."

"Yeah, that's the…" James began.

"James!" The deep voice of Grey could suddenly be heard rushing down the hospital corridor. "James!" Grey turning quickly as he entered the room. "We got to go, now! Judy said they may have an idea on Leo and Susan's location."

"What?" Both James and Nick spoke suddenly at the same time.


	19. Threats and Actions

**_I hope you enjoy this next installment of Protect the Family. Please take a few seconds if you can and leave a few words telling me how you find the chapter._**

Chapter Eighteen – Threats and Actions

Leo, feeling pain once again slowly engulf him, felt himself becoming conscious yet again as his eyes struggled to focus. He suddenly noticed a single figure, dressed in what appeared to be a tailored suit, standing in front of him. Leo, feeling what seemed to be water of some sort slide down along his cheek, quickly realized the figure he was seeing was in fact real. His head, currently resting against the left side of his body, Leo began to raise himself upright. Blinking, trying to straighten himself fully, he suddenly felt something unfamiliar wrapped around his neck. A leather tether collar had some time, during when he was unconscious, been put on him. Leo, slowly watching the figure stare back at him, felt himself tilt his head slightly as he noticed something very familiar with him. The grey and white wolf, a male, had a near close resemblance to the artic wolf, Anna. Still continuing to quietly stand in front of him, Leo suddenly noticed the wolf was holding something in one of his paws. "Morning." Leo spoke softly before letting out a cough, a mixture of dried blood and saliva falling from his mouth, as he struggled to shift himself slightly in his chair. "You… must be room service. I don't think I'll need a turn down. From what I can tell by the light and noise coming the distant wharf nearby…" The sound of carnival music, whispering in from one of the broken glass windows panes, could be heard faintly in the distance, carried by the wind. "…It must be around ten in the morning. But you know if it's not too late, I would love to place an order for breakfast." Leo took a breath, leaning his head back as he rotated his shoulders, thinking. "Two… no three, yeah three, blueberry pancakes and a class of juice would be perfect right about now, I think."

Unbuttoning his suit jacket's two buttons, the grey and white wolf could not help but let out a short smirk at Leo's words. Slowly removing the jacket from his muscular frame, he draped the jacket across one of his arms as he raised his free paw up to his neck, pulling lightly as he began loosening a light yellow and grey patterned tie "My sister was right when she spoke of you to me. Like father like son I see. She was slightly impressed by you, Anna was." The grey and white artic wolf, Pyetr Ruskoff spoke warmly, still smiling as he walked slowly beside Leo and out of his line of sight.

Hearing a sudden clatter, Leo turned his head sharply and watched as Pyetr now returned carrying a single folding chair in his paws. Setting the chair down just, just out of reach from Leo, Pyetr opened the chair and draped his jacket along the back as he quietly lowered himself down on to it and leaned back. "But where are my manners, yes of course, I can see by the looks of you, you have met my dear sweet sister Anna, I am Pyetr…"

Leo, still suffering from the result from the terrible beating he had received at the paws of Anna, looked back at Pyetr interrupting him. "Your sister… needs to work more on her thrust a little more, Pyetr is it?" Leo tried to laugh but felt pain erupt in him. "She needs to remember to follow through and not over extend her arm when throwing her punches. But never mind that now… listen, will I be able to wash up before breakfast arrives?" Leo asked flexing his paws behind him, shaking his restraints "I'm a little tied up at the moment as you can see."

Pyetr, not saying a word continued to smile broadly back at Leo. Slowly adjusting himself, he began crossing one of his hind legs over the other, rolling up one of his shirt sleeve cuffs. "I must apologize for my little sister's earlier actions. She has been through quiet a lot these past few years. But you and I both know what is must have been like for a brother and his younger sister, Anna and… what am I saying, of course you don't." Pyetr stopped suddenly in mid-sentence and began laughing slowly. Suddenly, in a fraction of a second, a loud scraping sound echoed as Pyetr, ceasing his laughter, uncrossed his leg and thrust the chair he was sitting on closer to Leo, leaning in to him. "Your father and mother destroyed my family. Your own worthless, so called godfather killed my sister Natalya, in cold blood."

"Half-sister if I'm correct." Leo responded back, interrupting once more. "And how many innocent mammals did she, you, or your sister kill in cold blood?" Leo finished his own gaze, matching Pyetr, breathing heavily. "From what I understand, your so called sister, Natalya, was going to kill my mother while she was still pregnant with us, my sister and I." Leo, unblinking, shifted in his chair. "I call it simple justice, also for death of my grandmother, whom she tortured and savaged to death. You talk about us destroying your family, what about your family destroying ours? Who shed blood first, tell me that?" Leo yelled back, his gaze unmoving.

"It is true, whatever Natalya did, your grandmother did not deserve to die in such a manner as she did. I grant you that one." Pyetr laid his paws down on his lap. "My sister, with her many faults, from time to time would get carried away when extracting information. I always warned her to have some form of self-control. That night, I am sorry to say, she was not her best." Pyetr, turning his gaze away from Leo slowly began to lean back against the chair.

"So what happens now?" Leo asked. "Am I to be the one to answer for the crimes of my parents?" He gaged Pyetr as the wolf continued to sit there.

"In a way… yes." Pyetr replied. "It doesn't matter to me, really, you dying now, or later. I gave that responsibility to my sister. Anna will have that overall decision in the manner and time of your death, not me. I, on the other paw, am only after the one who took Natalya from me that night long ago, your godfather, Bogo."

"Good luck with that." Leo replied quickly, his mind rushing with thoughts of his godfather who he had not seen in the recent months. "Not many would want that task on their paws."

"Where is he?" Pyetr asked, looking dead into Leo's eyes.

"Don't know." Leo replied. "I've sort of been tied up here. But if I know anything about him, he is far away from your or your sister's paws."

"Speaking of which, being tied up…" Pyetr, relaxing his shoulders slightly, gently leaned back once again on his chair. "I was almost going to forget to update on your vixen friend, our other guest." Pyetr, his voice calm, clasped his paw fingers, setting them in his lap. "By the look from your eyes I'd say you forgot about her also. The smile returning to Pyetr, growing once again across his muzzle, he slowly began to lean his head gently over to one side, gazing behind Leo. "Jason! Please, we are waiting."

Leo, thinking quickly and struggling in his restraints, tried desperately to turn in his chair as a sudden crash echoed and the door in the distance flew open, as a female voice suddenly could be heard shouting out through a narrow hallway leading to the door.

"She really is such a cute vixen, I must say." Pyetr spoke as a vixen's voice quickly began to echo out even louder. "My associates tell me they are getting quite attached to her."

"Let go of me, let… me… go!" Susan suddenly appeared, pant less. Her wrists restrained by metal cuffs, she wore only the white blouse top Leo had last seen her wearing and what appeared to be light blue boy short underwear. Trying desperately to break free of her captors, Susan began twisting and turning. Leo, hearing Susan's desperate cries, struggled to turn fully around in his restraints, catching only a quick glimpse of her as he continued to hear her shouts.

"Shut her up!" Pyetr shouted over Susan's pleas, anger exploding in his voice as the sound of a loud, heavy smack was suddenly heard, silencing Susan's voice.

"Susan!" Leo yelled.

"Leo? Le…" Susan, her voice now tearful, spoke again as she recognized Leo's voice from within the room.

"I said shut up her up! Or do I have to do everything?" Pyetr repeated again, quickly followed by a second, much stronger smack, as it echoed. Susan, screaming in pain, suddenly fell to the floor as two wolves holding on to her struggled to keep her upright, moving her along the room as Susan now completely burst into crying tears.

"I'll kill you…" Leo now shouted, jumping from his chair toward Pyetr, the chains holding him straining as they threw his arms back. The leather tether collar tightening slightly around his neck, Leo struggled as he felt his words become muffled by the pressure being put against his throat. "…I'll f…. kill y…, y… dead!" Leo, full of rage, closing his eyes before reopening them to the immediate pain erupted across his face as a tightly clutched paw struck him, knocking him back and against the chair he had been sitting in, falling to the floor. Laying there, the collar releasing its tension on his throat, Leo began gasping desperately for air.

Pyetr, seizing the opportunity, violently started kicking Leo hard into his ribs. Pyetr, catching his breath as he began to pant, reached down to grasp the top of Leo's head, unbuckling the collar strap, throwing it back toward the rolling table behind them. Grasping with a single paw both skin and fur, just behind the back of Leo's neck, Pyetr began pulling at his head forcing Leo to look at him. Taking a deep breath Pyetr looked deep into Leo's eyes. "Nobody… nobody threatens me, especially not a dead mammal like you." Pyetr, reaching back with his free clinched paw, brought it down violently on Leo's face. "Damn that one hurt!" Pyetr yelled out, shaking his paw from side to side letting out a slight howl. "Get him back on the chair and bring his cute friend over here." Pyetr finished, noticing now fresh blood on his paw,

Leo, placed back on the chair, struggled to catch his breath as he stared back at Pyetr, feeling blood now running down from just above his right eye. Licking the side of his face, Leo spit out some of the fresh blood and saliva onto the floor, taking a deep swallow. "Untie me right now… Pyetr and we'll see who is a dead mammal." His vision, suddenly becoming disoriented, Leo lowered his head as his pain inflicted by Pyetr continued to course through him. Quickly closing than reopening his eyes, he raised his head back up to Pyetr. "What are you afraid of wolf?"

"Brave words." Pyetr replied holding out his paw, now wet with Leo's blood mixed in with his fur, as two of his associates approached him with Susan. "Now that we have been joined by this delicious creature here…" Pyetr walked over to his jacket on the folding chair, withdrawing a handkerchief folded nicely from within the front pocket. "I am going to ask you the same simple question once again, Leo." He began wiping specks of blood off his paw. "As you can now see, the stakes have just increased, so think carefully on your next answer." Pyetr, moving closer to Susan as she stood apart from Leo, continued to smile as his eyes moved down along her slender frame. Susan, still shaking, struggled weakly as she watched him extended a claw out, moving it along one side of her body. "Bring the young vixen over here." Pyetr directed one of the wolves holding Susan to a tall and peeling wooden pillar. "Yes, I think this will do." He called up gazing up along the pillar. "Jason, strap the hook there." Pyetr ordered, pointing to a spot on the pillar to the other and grabbing ahold of Susan as she let out a slight scream. "Make sure it's not too high."

Within a few minutes, after attaching a ratcheting strap around the pillar, Leo, noticing from his angle, watched in horror as both wolves raised Susan's paws high in the air. They attached her restraints to what seemed to be a snap hook that had been added the ratchet strap. Leo could not stop staring at Susan whose face was wet with tears.

"There you go sweetness." The second, unknown, wolf spoke. "Don't struggle too much now. The boys and I wouldn't want you to be too worn out." The wolf spoke again in a low tone, running his wolf paws playfully along both sides of her arms.

In one solid motion, Susan, thrusting her knee hard toward the groin of the wolf touching her, she felt her knee land on its target before screaming, "You or anyone of your flea bag friends ever think of touching me again…" She shouted, suddenly stopping as she spat on the wolf, now groaning on the ground, whimpering.

"Now that is what I call spirit." Pyetr laughed out loud, walking up to her and behind the pillar, reemerging on Susan's right side, sizing her up. Walking over and kicking the wolf lying on the floor, he began shouting at him as he reached and removed something metallic from the wolf's side as he continued to roll on the floor, turning suddenly to the second wolf, Jason. "Get him out of my sight, then go and find my sister. Now go!

"Yes sir." Jason replied, reaching down and grabbing his friend off the ground. Still clutching his groin as Jason helped him to his feet, the wolf stumbled slightly as he was quickly led away.

"Now then…" Pyetr, a gun taken from the unknown wolf now clutched firmly in his paw, began to slowly walk back to where Leo still sat. Setting the gun down gently on the seat of the folding chair, he turned back to stare at Susan. "I think I need to get a closer look at you my dear, a vixen of such spirit…" Pyetr, his tongue hanging slightly out, began to move ever closer to her. "Yes, oh lord yes; I truly can see it, that energy burning deep inside you. Any male fox would be a fool not to have something as sweet as this all to himself." Susan, squirming, turned her face quickly away from Pyetr as he came within inches of her, his hot breath on her fur. Pyetr, reaching up and grabbing her face tightly, brought it back to look back at him. Susan, looking into his dark empty eyes, immediately spat point blank at him, forcing him to let go of her. Pyetr, staggering back a step, reacted suddenly in what was simply a fit of rage, slapping Susan once…twice…three times, hard across the face. Extending his claws, he quickly began ripping at the white blouse she wore as she let out painful screams. Pyetr, ceasing his attack as quickly as he started, simply stood there breathing heavily, gaging his work. Red claw marks, now visible, ran along her whole midsection as her white blouse had been completely shredded, exposing a matching light blue sport bra to her boy short underwear, she was wearing.

Yelling out obscenely, Leo began rocking back and forth, cursing back at Pyetr. "God dammit, I don't know where Bogo is, alright. No one has seen him for months, let alone me. He's disappeared." Leo called out, fearing for Susan.

"Strange how everyone seems to keep telling me that." Pyetr replied, running a paw through the shredded blouse to her exposed marked stomach. "Forgive me if I am still not convinced." In a deplorable act, Pyetr immediately looked back at Susan as he punched hard into her stomach, causing her to buckle and screech out loud, her gasping screams and crying reverberated off the walls.

"I'll kill you, I will kill you if you touch her again!" Leo screamed back breathing rapidly and struggling desperately to break free, his strength and energy quickly dwindling.

"I know you know where he is. Just tell me, and it will be all over." Pyetr turned as gazed back to Leo in his chair.

The last of his energy draining rapidly from him, Leo, still breathing heavily, kept repeating the same words over and over in hushed tones. "I'll kill you…I'll kill you."

It was then, in a matter of seconds, echoing throughout the far front end and along the side of the massive building, the sound of gunfire suddenly began to explode. Pyetr, still standing close to Susan, quickly began turning his head in all directions.

"Boss!" The voice of a rather tall artic wolf called out as he, followed by closely by a small heavier wolf, suddenly burst through the doorway leading from the front of the main building. Rushing onto the factory floor, heading toward Pyetr, the taller of the two began shouting. "Cops… they just appeared out of nowhere." Both wolves, breathless and panting, suddenly stopped just shy of where Leo sat. Within a second, a sudden flash and echoing bang erupted rapidly within the dark shadows of the building, the taller of the two armed wolves suddenly fell to the floor, as a single gunshot rang out. Falling face first and collapsing on the cold dirt covered floor, a single gunshot to the wolf's head was now clearly visible. Pyetr, along with the shorter, heavier wolf, seeing this, immediately dropped to the floor and crouched down, quickly taking cover. Pyetr, his eyes painfully searching rapidly, began sweeping along the top of the factory's high catwalks then quickly back down toward a closed set of double doors off to one end of the factory.

"Pyetr…you move one inch and I swear I will end you like I did your sister Natalya." The deep, loud carrying voice of Bogo slowly called out, hidden deep within the shadows. "Just try me, mutt." The sound of a rifle ejecting and reloading a round seemed to amplify itself in between the sound of gunfire erupting. A spent round casing echoed at that moment and for the cowering wolves, it seemed louder than normally possible as it struck the concrete floor.


	20. In Harm's Way

Chapter Nineteen – In Harm's Way

Still breathing heavily, he eyes shifting from the deceased body of the wolf lying on the floor, Pyetr turned as he peered out to the shadows. "Nice shot Bogo… I can see retirement has not made you rusty, in your old age." Pyetr let out a slight chuckle as he slowly reached out and touched Susan's leg, still hiding behind her. Susan, on the edge of collapsing, let out a sudden scream as she felt Pyetr's sudden touch. Whimpering, as she continued to struggle in her restraints, her half naked body continued to shake in utter fear as she closed her eyes and cried.

"I see we are somewhat at an impasse here, Bogo." Pyetr call out again. "Please tell me Commander Wilde is outside with the rest of those fools of yours?" Pyetr paused for a second, listening. "Or is she with you, whispering in your ear?" Pyetr paused again. "Are you out there, Judith?" Pyetr called out in a carrying tone. "Anna would be so thrilled to meet you again. It's been so long since the last time you both were together in the same room." Pyetr let out another immoral laugh, remembering Anna's sentencing hearing. "Show yourself, Bogo!" Pyetr called out, his anger exploding as all of his laughter disappeared. "Face me like a true mammal, face to face!"

For nearly two minutes, nobody seemed to move. Leo, his vison struggling to pierce deep within the open area, felt his heart skip suddenly as a slight rustle was heard from one end of the factory floor. Pyetr, hearing the sound, waiting with bated breath, watched as slowly, from within the darkness, the massive frame of Bogo became visible. Dressed in a black tactical uniform, Bogo, the barrel of his rifle hanging low, slowly began to make his way toward Pyetr, Leo and Susan. Rising suddenly from his place of cover, the unknown wolf closest to Leo immediately began firing toward Bogo. Bogo dropped to a knee and took cover behind a pillar close to him as the sounds of Susan's screams once again began echoing over the shouts coming from Pyetr. No sooner had the gunfire started than it immediately stopped. Bogo, hidden behind the pillar, felt his adrenaline race through him again. As two rapid shots suddenly rang out, one immediately followed by the other, the unmistakable sound of a body collapsing to the floor was immediately heard by Bogo. His mind racing, the fear of the loss of Leo or Susan, his heart shifted as he rose up in utter anger, raising his weapon toward where the unknown wolf was last known to be. Bogo, his mind shaken by total disbelief, could only stare at the sight now before him. Lying on the dirt covered floor, dead, the body of the second wolf now lay next to his friend, two gunshots to the head. Bogo immediately turned his weapon on Pyetr. Pyetr, now standing to his full height once more, stood behind Susan, holding a gun to her head.

Pyetr, watching as Bogo took a step forward, raised his gun and instantly cocked back the hammer, pressing it tighter on Susan and stopping Bogo in his tracks. Both mammals simply stood there, staring back at one another, motionless. "The words 'thank you' I believe are in order… from you Bogo." Pyetr spoke in a casual voice, flexing his paw slightly as he motioned to the dead wolf on the ground as he held the gun to Susan. "But it's strange; I'm not hearing the words. Why is that my dear? He spoke the last few words softly into Susan's ear.

"It's going to be alright, Susan." Bogo spoke. "Leo, its o…"

"Are you sure about that, Bogo?" Pyetr replied. "From where I am presently I don't see things as…"

"Drop the gun." Bogo spoke in a slow, steady tone.

"Ah…no." Pyetr replied in a calming voice, tilting his head slightly. "That's not going happen. But you are free to take the shot." Pyetr paused for a second. "Go ahead, take the shot. Take it!" Pyetr shouted as he laid his free paw on Susan's head, slowly moving it along her back, stopping just shy of her tail. "Now, what's going to happen next I wonder? You can shoot me like the coward you are and possibly hit Susan here. Or I can shot you and Leo right now and not give a care in the world while I enjoy this young creature here." Pyetr continued to stare at him. "But then why not a third option. Let's you and I settle this one on one, no guns, just you and I, like the old days.

 ** _Hours Earlier…_**

"…Chelsey, just be safe and stay alert and I'll connect via video with you when I get there." Lowering a cell phone from her ear as a set of elevator doors began to open, Judy hastily raised her head up before quickly handing a black cased cell phone to Bogo. Unwilling to wait for the doors to open in their entirety, she started once more down a brightly lighted hallway, Bogo close on her heels. "Pawler said she and Logger are across the way from the target now."

"Where is Marie?" Bogo spoke rapidly, thinking of Judy's daughter and her own safety.

"Tabitha told me earlier, during our examination of the video evidence, she was brought here by Greg for safe keeping." Judy replied, turning another corner. "Francine and a few other female officers are with her now. Just how many officers do we have for this?"

"Higgins said one squad from Tactical SWAT is waiting for us in the ready…" Bogo started to speak before stopping as he suddenly noticed Judy turning in the wrong direction. "Judy, the ready room is this way." Bogo called out, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Go on, I'll be right there, have everything ready when I arrive." Judy shouted as she started to dash along the hallway, heading toward the main lobby.

Bogo, a look of complete confusion on his face, immediately turned down the hallway leading to the special team ready room. Reaching the door and opening it, Bogo's sudden presence sent an instant chilling silence through the room of seated SWAT Officers. "Where the hell is Lt. Clawhauser?" Bogo, quickly scanning, suddenly called to the room at large. "Commander told her to be here…"

"I'm coming, just hold on." Beth Clawhauser, the niece of the late Benjamin Clawhauser replied suddenly, as she made her way to the ready room door, carrying multiple things in her paws. A ten year officer on the force, Beth Clawhauser, was a tall and slender cheetah, unlike her late lovable doughnut loving uncle. Approaching the doorway wearing black SWAT tactical uniform, she nudged along Bogo's side. "If you would move your large butt out of the way, I could enter and…"

"Who the hell do you think…" Bogo began as he felt Beth move past and along the front of the room.

"Just shut it!" Beth answered back, dropping what looked to be a building layout, rolled up, as her turning quickly to face Bogo. "Let's just get a few things out of the way, Bogo. Commander Wilde gave me the lead on this, not you. So there are few things you need to know about me." Beth, with a cold stare, looked deep into Bogo's eyes. "First off, if you have not noticed, I am not my uncle Benjamin, so don't try to intimidate me like you did him during his life. Second, this is my squad room, not yours, so I am in charge here. You are no longer an acting officer in the ZPD. Third, you will show me the respect my rank deserves, as I will for you, former Chief Bogo. Do you understand each other?" Laughter, followed by what appeared to be two low voices, suddenly burst out from the back of the room. Turning her head rapidly toward the voices, Beth, growling at the room, suddenly noticed two of her officer's laugh and joke to one another. "Kepler, Jagger, do we have a problem?

Kepler, a grey timber wolf, and Jagger, a tan Japanese's badger, suddenly fell deadly silent as Beth stared back at them. "No Lt." Kepler spoke softly back, swallowing hard.

"Then shut the hell up!" Beth yelled in a roar across the room before turning back look at Bogo one final time. Moving toward a podium, she quickly placed a laptop on top of it, hooking it up to it. Reaching down and picking up the building layout from the floor and unfurling it, she began to tack it up along the wall next to a large white screen. "Irons, come over here and give everyone this handout here," Beth motioned to a male Rhino, dressed also in black tactical gear, sitting across from her.

Catching sudden movement out of the corner of her left eye, Beth immediately snapped to attention. "Atten-hut!" She called out to the room, as the sound of mutable chairs immediately scraped the floor as everyone jumped to their feet.

"At ease, everyone!" Judy shouted, walking into the room and stopping beside Bogo. "I want to get this out immediately, before we begin. I will be putting all of you in harm's way alongside myself, plain and simple. This may be a dangerous and possible deadly operation. For those of you who do not wish to partake in this mission, get up and leave now!" The room at large remained silent at her words, as no one moved a muscle. "Alright then…" Judy, turning to Beth and nodding walked over to her and placed a small flash drive into the laptop propped open on the podium. "Here is what we know as of this time, lights!" She called out to the room as the lights immediately turned off. "Here is one of two pieces of surveillance video taken from Zootopian General."

A soundless video, showing five mammals, was suddenly being projected on the main viewing screen from an overhead projector for everyone to see. The images showing Leo, struggling on the ground, could be seen along with Susan as she herself struggled with her wolf assailant. It was at that moment, a raccoon crouching low to Leo, motioned suddenly to his right, rising as he turned and began firing a weapon toward the approaching frame of Officer Hindquarter. Leo, his body collapsing, appearing to go unconscious, lying motionless on the ground, was suddenly shown now being quickly dragged off by the raccoon and fellow wolf out of frame. Susan, still struggling, could be now seen clearly being injected by something along her collar bone by a fourth assailant before quickly too being led away, her body limp.

Judy, clicking on a new video clip, turned back to the screen. "Here is the second piece."

A long distance video of the hospital parking area, enlarged, now showed what looked to be a uniform laundry truck parked near the side entrance of the hospital. In full view, up along the grassy area, the body of Officer Hindquarter could now be seen still lying on the ground as the assailants began quickly carrying the now unconscious bodies of Leo and Susan. Placing the bodies quickly into the rear of the cargo truck two of the assailants immediately rushed to the front of the truck, as the truck was quickly driven out of view.

"This vehicle…" Judy, rewinding the video and freezing it, moved toward the screen. "We were able to track through the department's new undercover network of cameras throughout the city. I am pleased to say the money was not wasted. The cameras were able pick up the vehicle making its way along downtown and over the Walt Bridge, before turning toward the Seaside Area. From there, the vehicle continued along before crossing Ariel Drive, but no further. Based on that area, that puts it between Ariel Drive and 32nd street, near the proximity to the Boardwalk. Lights!" Judy called out again.

Moving back to the laptop Judy quickly began typing as a loud dial tone suddenly began to echo through the room's sound system. "Officer's Pawler and Logger, from the 3rd Precinct, who were the closest to that area at that time with an unmarked vehicle, were ordered by me to make their way to canvas the area. They were able to locate the vehicle in question at this location." Judy split the screen projection, showing a city map of the Seaside Area and a video connection screen. "An old abandoned cannery."

Suddenly, on the video connection screen, a faintly hidden face of an African golden cat suddenly appeared. "Officer Pawler, what do you have for us?" Judy asked, looking into the laptop's video camera.

"Commander, the place looks to be locked down tight." Chelsey spoke in a hushed tone. "The entire front side of the cannery is being closely monitored by numerous wolf guards. Logger and I were able to gauge one possible weak point of entry, but were forced to fall back due to a pair of raccoons moving along the east rear section before…" Chelsey, stopping suddenly and flexing her ears, turned to look behind her. "Commander, if we are to do anything we need to hurry. Logger and I will not be able to stay concealed for much longer."

"Pawler, you and Logger place two wireless cameras there, then fall back one block from the cannery. Notify us of any major movement." Judy spoke before the video connection suddenly went black. "Alright, now, for many of you older officers, you will all remember former chief Bogo." Judy motioned to Bogo standing by her, his massive forearms now crossed in front of him. "He is now going to brief you all on the two main mammals we are after. Bogo." Judy motioned, setting aside.

"Alright, our two main targets are a sister and brother, named Anna and Pyetr Ruskoff." A photo of both Anna and Pyetr suddenly appeared on the screen. "Anna, the youngest, was arrested and served a sentenced for accessory kidnapping and assault on a police officer with intent to kill. Some of you older officer will remember her from the Natalya Specknoff case. Her brother, Pyetr is somewhat of an unknown. A corporate lawyer based here in Zootopia, information we do have is that he has a hidden side to him. Known for sudden acts of rage and violence, an old police report document showed that he once nearly killed a polar bear after a heated exchange of words. The bear in question refused to press charges insisting the exchange of words were due to a misunderstanding, during an evening at a high class lounge near the Tundra Area. More recent, from talking to an unnamed source, it seems Pyetr himself had personally ordered the hit on Lt. Nicholas Wilde, and the possible deaths of two others, a young male lion and older cheetah." Bogo turned as random crime scene photos were suddenly shown on the screen. "The reason for this, by information available, is a vendetta against curtain individuals in and outside this department, pertaining from the loss of their half-sister Natalya Specknoff."

"But why now?" A male jaguar spoke suddenly from one of the front tables. "Why wait so long?"

"That we do not know. But we can connect the number of mysterious deaths preceding the attempted kidnapping of young Marie Wilde to point us back to the Specknoff case. With the attempted murder of Lt. Wilde, and now the kidnapping of his son Leo and Susan Hunterton, the brother and sister have revealed their true motives." Bogo, taking a deep breath, continued. "I, myself, discovered I was one of their main targets for over two years." Bogo replied, looking back at the jaguar. "Judy, put up the first video again." Bogo called over to her before moving to the side of the screen. "Stop the video there!" Bogo called back, pointing to the screen. "This raccoon in the video right here is the same one that tried to kill me nearly ten months ago at my residence." Bogo motioned to the screen. "His name is Vinnie Cooner, a mid-level hired thug. His attempt failed when I broke his right leg and was able to escape, causing him to now have a slight limp when he walks. After going off the grid, I was able to learn he was sent under orders from Anna. I, as well as both Commander and Lt. Wilde, are the last one's being held responsible for Natalya's death. Myself most of all by Pyetr, due to the fact I was the one that killed Natalya. A recent new informant this past month came forward with overwhelming evidence, collected over the past two years on both brother and sister. Their full intention is to kill everyone involved, even if it means also killing Leo along with Susan Hunterton."

"I want this squad geared up and in the departure area ready to depart as soon as possible." Judy spoke, tuning to Beth. "Get them ready Clawhauser." Judy turned to the room one final time. "Everyone, these wolves and their associates are not to be underestimated. They will not hesitate to use deadly force, if the two are anything like their sister Natalya. We almost lost another of our own a few hours ago who tried to intervene, remember that as you prepare." Judy walked out of the room, followed by Bogo.

"Alright, everyone listen up." Beth, moving to the podium, motioned toward the building layout on the wall. "Alpha team…."


	21. Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Twenty – Calm Before the Storm

"But your place is here, Judy, at headquarters. You are the senior assistant deputy chief." Bogo's voice, a tone of frustration emanating from it, echoed along a seemingly empty locker room as he turned a corner. "You should not be doing th…!" Coming to a sudden stop, quickly averting his eyes at the sight before him, he turned around rapidly before resting his massive shoulder up against a set of mixed height lockers to his left. Judy, semi-nude, putting on one of her spare black sports bras, turned her head quickly toward the back of Bogo, not saying a word. Turning back into her service locker, rummaging deep within it, she felt as her eyes move toward a paw full of family photos taped up on the inside of the locker door. "Judy, you have not been in the field like this since before I retired." Bogo, moving his head slightly back to her, spoke as her concentration returned and she resumed the task she was doing. "You need to think about it…what is ahead of you. You don't know what is waiting for you in that building."

"Do I know? Yes, yes I do Bogo!" Judy called back in a strong, carrying voice. "My son!" Removing a black tactical shirt from within, she quickly slipped it over her ears. Tucking the shirt quickly in into a matching pair of pants, she grabbed a thigh drop holster hanging from inside locker. Snapping it around her waist and along her right thigh, she raised her right paw high up on the top shelf of the locker. Removing a set of three magazines from its top shelf, she immediately placed two in the small compartments along her thigh. Setting the third down next her she reached up to the top shelf one last time, withdrawing her service side arm. Lowering it down, glancing at it for a second, without hesitation she quickly reached down and inserted the third magazine, chambering a round quickly before placing it inside the holster.

Hearing the sound of the gun's slide lock chambering, Bogo immediately turned around to face her. "Why not just let Clawhauser…" Bogo began once again as Judy shut her metal locker with a loud slam.

"I'm going Bogo, that's it, end of discussion!" Judy shouted. "This is my choice, not yours!" Turning to look down the row to the massive buffalo staring back her, she bent down, quickly picking up an 'M' class body vest at her feet. Moving along the line of lockers, she stopped in front of Bogo. "I am not going to let that psychopathic family take one more thing away from me."

"Just listen to yourself right now, Judy you're not even thinking like an officer!" Bogo, quickly grabbing on to her wrist, moved in front of her. "You are allowing your own personal feelings to interfere…"

"As to what Bogo…to what?" Judy shouted back. "My husband nearly died weeks ago after being shot under their orders, my daughter was physically assaulted and almost kidnapped. At this very moment Hindquarter is struggling to remain alive after coming to the aide of Leo. What in the hell is wrong with you Bogo!" Judy exploded. "My son is being held by those two wolves! My son…not yours!" Her whole body shaking, she raised her head, looking him dead in the eyes. "You, above all mammals that know me, know I will not just sit idly by here like some little token bunny when my family is being threatened. So I am telling you right this second, let…go…of…my…paw!"

"They are playing with your emotions, Judy." Bogo replied, quickly releasing her as she started to move once again toward the door of the locker room. "Nick's father told you this, remember, or do you not care about everything that fox has done for you and your family?" These words suddenly stopped Judy in her tracks. "You are the key to this whole scheme. Pyetr and Anna planned this out for over two years. They want to break you, Judy, piece by piece." Bogo, moving gently up to her, stopped again. "Yes, they have Leo, hell I want him back, safe and sound just as much as you, but just think about one thing. What about Susan in all of this? Yeah, did you forget about her, or perhaps her own family? You know as well as I do about that building. The building offers a danger for both us and them. You saw the maps earlier. Positioned against the ocean, no immediate means of escape, it's a fool's choice, but they chose it!" Bogo stared back her.

Judy, still breathing heavily, her left paw pressed on the locker room door, turned her head back to Bogo, ready to respond as a deep male voice suddenly erupted over the rooms announce system.

"Commander Wilde, your presence is need immediately in Docking Bay 3." The male voice echoed, repeating the line a second time before becoming dead silent.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at Bogo, standing there with a look of hesitation. "You better get over to the supply room and suit up. I'm officially reinstating you, as of this second, back into the ZPD with the rank of Commander." Pressing the door open, she began to walk out of the locker room and into a hallway. "Meet me in the Docking Bay 3 when you're ready. I'll make a stopover at the armory and have the duty Sergeant there have your old friend waiting for you."

"Old friend?" Bogo began to think quickly, screwing up his face as he processed words that had just been said. Moving to the door, he watched as Judy continued to walk along the hallway. "Wait, you mean…" He call out, suddenly understanding the meaning. "I haven't used that old rifle, let alone fire it, in over thirty years." Bogo replied, his face showing hesitation as Judy, not looking back, continued to walk toward down the lighted hallway, a slight smirk emerging before quickly vanishing.

"What's the situation?" Judy, pressing herself through the door leading into headquarters back docking areas, called out to a large mass of heavily armed police officers nearby.

"We just got word from Pawler." Beth Clawhauser, emerging from within the group, approached Judy. "Another group of mammals just arrived at the cannery." Beth motioned toward a folding table to her right covered with maps and a single assault rifle. "Four vehicles total, Commander. One of the wireless cameras Pawler and Logger had placed before moving caught a glimpse of the brother, Pyetr, exiting one of the four vehicles."

"Any signs of Anna?" Judy asked suddenly.

"No, ma'am." Beth replied. "But she could already be there or just was not seen getting out of one of the vehicles. With the added numbers, Commander, that brings it to at least twenty or more."

"Are you saying I chose the wrong group for this operation Beth? You and your boys can't handle those kinds of numbers?" Judy looked at the cheetah, raising an eyebrow.

"Ma'am, my boys can handle a full on rhino stampede in the middle of Sahara Square, during mid-July." Beth replied quickly.

"Good to hear it." Judy stared back at her, smiling as a sense of pride showed on her face. "Oh I wish your Uncle Benjamin could be here to see you now Beth, he would be so proud of you and your accomplishments." Judy, blinking her eyes rapidly turned away from Beth as she began to feel herself become emotional remembering Benjamin and his lovable smile. "God… I miss that big fluffy guy so much. He was such a great uncle to my own Marie and Leo when they were younger. But you know, if he was right here with us now seeing me getting all emotional like this…" Judy placed both her paws on top of the table, lowering her eyes as she continued to talk. "…I am certain I would more than likely find him right here…" She raised a paw to her side, pointing next to her. "… next to me, offering me one of his dough…"

"Doughnut, Commander?" Beth spoke suddenly in a calm manner, extending a paw toward Judy, clutching a blueberry glazed doughnut, as she smiled back at her.

Immediately, looking back at Beth, Judy unable to control herself, erupted into hysteric laughter as a few officers turned toward her confused, as now both she and Beth laughed at one another. Accepting the doughnut happily in her paw, Judy felt a few tears from her laughter fall from her face. "You are truly living up to the name Clawhauser, Beth, at this very moment. Thank you." Judy quickly wiped a few tears from her face before happily biting into the blueberry glaze. Turning back around to the two squads of officers gathering next to her and Beth, for the first time all day, she felt a feeling of happiness flow through her as simply stood there, eating the doughnut. "This is Nick's all-time favorite by the way Beth." She mentioned, raising the last of the doughnut in her paw. "He would kill me if he knew I was eating it."

Finishing the last few bits of the doughnut, hearing the door leading into the docking bay open and close, Judy turned as she caught sight of an approaching mammal. Turning fully around, leaning up against the table next to Beth and one of her men, Judy, crossed her front paws across her chest. Bogo, moving past a few officers, wearing a swat uniform and a M24 rifle slung over his massive frame, stopped just shy of her and Beth.

"Ma'am, why is Bogo wearing…" Beth, leaning slowly sideways as she watched Bogo approaching the two of them, began to whisper softly before quickly being interrupted.

"Everyone listen up!" Judy, taking a step away from the table, began to speak to the group. "Everyone here knows fully well of former Chief Bogo. He will be joining our little party under my orders, is that understood? "

"Yes ma'am!" The group around replied as one.

Stepping back up to Beth, she lowered her voice as she lend in to her. "Beth, I want you be sure you bring him up on everything on the way to the target. Alright…" Judy spoke once again, stepping away quickly and addressing the group again. "I want everyone loaded up and ready to go in five minutes."

 ** _1 Hour Later…_**

"…Beth I want the other two placed across from here. If they try and double back from this door I want to be sure…"

"Commander?" A female Siberian tiger spoke gently from a slight distance behind Judy.

"Yes?" Judy replied, turning around with a puzzled look on her face.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we had more movement again." The tiger replied quickly.

"Where?" Judy spoke quickly, rising from the ground and turning to face the tiger fully as she approached her.

"Back toward the north side, but that's not all of it, ma'am." The tiger continued on. "Catching sight of the shift, Samson and Pawler went to investigate around the area near that back end and they caught someone."

"Bring them here directly, Jackie." Judy ordered the tiger.

"Yes ma'am." Jackie replied, turning around and leaving quickly.

Looking quickly back at Beth and Bogo, Judy simply walked back to where the two of them were, still kneeing on the ground. "I do not want to hear it from you Bogo, nor from you Beth. Start getting everyone in position." She spoke, leaning down and grabbing a small clear bag lying on the ground next to a blueprint of the old cannery. Reaching into the small bag, she withdrew a piece of celery and began chewing on it nervously.

"I know that tell, Judy. It's never a good sign if you start to chew like that." Bogo, noticing her, stood up fully.

"Shut up Bogo." Judy put the piece of celery down. Quickly hearing the sound of struggling movement from behind them, Beth, Judy and Bogo all turned as one to the sound of paw steps approaching them. There, struggling heavily to break free from his captures, Vinnie Cooner, the raccoon that had been filmed shooting at Joseph Hindquarter, now stood in from of them. Wearing a dark polo shirt and slacks, Vinnie felt himself stiffen slightly at the sudden sight of Bogo standing nearby.

"Cooner!" Bogo spoke first.

"Well, if this is not a friendly reunion of the family." Vinnie, his eye's moving from Bogo them to Judy. "The bosses will be so happy to see you both."

Rushing suddenly up to Vinnie, her right paw clutched in a tight fist, Beth hammered hard across the raccoon's face, throwing him to the ground.

"Beth, stand down!" Judy called to her, moving forward.

"He shot one of our own!" Beth spoke back, breathing heavily, her emotions exploding from her.

"I know Beth, but I need him to be conscious." Judy replied, grabbing at Beth's police vest.

"Is that all you got, big girl?" Vinnie rubbed his face with top of his shoulder as he lay on the ground. "You hit as soft as this one's kit does." Laughing slightly he turned to Judy. "You might want to teach your son how to throw a proper punch, its lacking…" Vinnie, beginning to raise himself back up off the ground, suddenly screamed out as he felt pain erupt along his weak rear leg. Beth, quickly covering his mouth with her paw to muffle his screaming, looked back at Judy now standing over Vinnie.

Judy, breathing heavily, looked down at him as his whole body shook, relaxed her now clinched fist. "How's that for lacking?" Judy, moving to alongside Vinnie still shaking on the ground, grabbed his face and turned it to her. "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions Vinnie and I better get truthful answers from you." Her lavender eyes seemingly piercing into his black.

As the early morning glow came from far along the distant horizon, a slight breeze began to blow along the wild beach grass hiding Judy and Beth. Based on Vinnie's answers to Judy's line of questions earlier, both females carefully went over their plan of attack one final time. Finding out from the raccoon that both brother and sister were indeed inside the old cannery, the hardest steps in the operation lay in their capture. "Where is there a location that we can enter without being seen?" Judy asked the question as the two of them returned to a safe position further down from the cannery.

"What about the emergency side door along the second floor fire escape?" Bogo asked kneeling next to the now restrained raccoon, looking over the buildings blueprints. "We both heard Pawler talk about it during her debriefing. It's not being watched because it can only be opened from the inside. If we take Vinnie's here information as truth, there are only two assailants in that area."

"Beth, once you and your men are safely inside, I want all exits locked down. Have one team start clearing the front offices and storerooms." Judy spoke, bending down and pointing to multiple locations on the blueprint. "Until we have both brother and sister, no one is to let their guard down for a second. Do we understand each other?"

"Yes." Beth spoke immediately. "What about you and Bogo?"

"Pawler, report to me immediately." Judy spoke into her radio mic positioned along her vest. Within seconds, Pawler, wearing a body vest over her detective suite, approached Judy and the others there. "If we use this door here, how long will we have before we may be seen?" Judy pointed to building's blueprint on the ground.

"I can't say Commander. Maybe five minutes or ten at the most with the morning light coming in. There is a partially open window pane along one end of the fire escape. If you were able to fit through it, you should be able to open the door from the inside."

"Alright, then that's where we will go, Bogo and I. Beth, whatever you do keep the fighting directed in your area. We need time to hopefully locate Leo and Susan. If anyone sees any sign of Leo or Susan, immediately radio your location." Judy reaching down and grabbing the blueprint off the ground, folded it up and handed it to Beth. Taking a rifle from Beth's paws, she slung it over herself. "Have someone put this trash in one of the vans." She motioned to Vinnie Cooner still lying on the ground, his face muzzled to keep him from yelling out. "Once I am inside, wait until I give the word and then unleash all hell!"

"We'll be ready Commander!" Beth replied turning back to Jackie as both females reached down and grabbed Vinnie by his arms, moving him.


	22. Options and Reactions

Chapter Twenty One – Options and Reactions

"All teams go, move in!" Judy struggled to speak into her mic as she knelt silently along the dark catwalk as she listened and watched Pyetr, from their elevated position, punch Susan in her stomach. "Bogo, I'm going to go find Anna. Stay here! If you think for one second that Leo's or Susan's lives are in danger from that flea bag, you take the shot, understand?"

"Understood." Bogo replied, gazing through the scope mounted on his rifle. Looking back up, he tilted his head to one side. "Judy, whatever you do, don't under estimate Anna. More than likely she expects you to come to her."

"I know." Rising cautiously, she took one last look at her son as his voice echoed up toward her in the distance, his screaming becoming weak. "I have back up coming for just that reason."

"Back up? Wait…what back up?" Bogo spoke suddenly, turning his head fully toward her as she moved silently on all fours to a nearby landing. "Judy?"

Making her way down to the bottom levels of the factory, the rifle in her paws raised steadily, she began moving along the multiple storage areas. Entering what appeared to be a centralized hub connecting the front side to the back factory floor, she felt an uneasiness begin to descend on her. Paying no attention to sounds of gunfire coming from the front end of the building, she felt an eerie sense of déjà vu begin to overcome her. As if reemerging into a deep dream, cautiously she began inching further along the side of the hub where a large stack of stained and rotting wooden crates now resided. The sounds of paws and voices rushing toward her, she made a sudden dash towards the crates to her right. Rushing through a small opening between the rows, her rear foot just crossing over, she immediately dropped to a knee. Pressing herself tightly along a set of mildewed crates, she listened as a sharp voice instantly called out into the room.

"Harper!" A female voice shouted, shattering the air within the area.

Judy, turning her head around, noticing multiple tall shadows along the gap in the row of crates she hid behind, clutched her rifle more tightly to her chest.

"Get your guys back out there!" The female voice continued to shout, this time with more force.

"But Anna, we just can't…" A sudden flash and sound of a gunshot echoed into the silent surroundings. Judy, still hidden along the opposite side the crates, instantly felt a cold chill running along her spine as the sound of a body hitting the floor reverberated out.

"Anyone else?" Anna called out to the individuals in the room. "No? Then all of you get back to your positions, now! Wait, you two…" She pointed to a pair of wolves, one tall and the other heavier and shorter, "…go inform my brother, go!"

Feeling her heart racing in her chest, Judy found herself frozen to where she knelt. Closing her eyes, struggling to breathe slowly and silently, she listened once again as the sounds of paws rushed past her. Exhaling, she quickly removed her rifle from around her body and set it down next to her as she leaned her full left side along one of the crates. Echoing from the direction of the rear factory area, a faint gunshot was heard by Judy. Raising a single ear high into the air and listening, she heard a second, more unmistakable, sound of a rifle shot. Turning her head around then forward again, her mind blank, she desperately began to battle with herself as she struggled to move. _"Get up Judy. You need to move, now!"_ Minute by minute, still tense and unable to move, she found herself still unable to think properly. Rising slowly from the floor, shifting her weight gently back to her rear legs, a sudden shadow began manifesting closely behind her. Balancing her body with a paw as she rose, a pair of strong grey paws unexpectedly reached out and covered her mouth and body, pinning her arms as she was lifted slightly in the air. Gasping, the air leaving her lungs, she let out a slight muffled scream as she began struggling desperately with the unknown assailant.

"Judy, it's me, it's James!" The mammal's voice suddenly whispered in her ear. Nick's father, James, continued to hold tightly onto his daughter-in-law's small frame. Turning his head quickly around, gazing behind him in fear of being heard, he felt her body slowly begin to relax and cease struggling. "That's it, just calm down and breathe." He turned back to her. Judy, her heart racing within her, felt herself nearly on the verge of fainting. Her mind struggling to slow down from the initial shock, she turned her head over her shoulder as he still held his paw over her mouth. Looking up at the face of James, both anger and relief began clashing side by side in her head. Freeing one of her paws from his arm still wrapped around her mid-section, she reached up desperately with it, pulling his paw away from her mouth.

"…a third option." Pyetr continued to speak, gazing back at Bogo along the factory floor. "Let's you and I settle this, one on one, no guns, just like the old days."

Bogo, his rifle still raised and fixed on the artic wolf, gauged Pyetr as he watched him shift slightly once more behind Susan. Glancing over to Leo then back again, he side stepped ever so slightly, readjusting his aim. "Let these two go first. This is between you and me right now."

"Yes, well it would be a…." Pyetr began to mumble softly before quickly shouting, "…you think I'm an idiot, Bogo?" He lowered his gun before turning on Bogo. "You do not make demands here, I do!" Pyetr raised the gun back up to Susan, pressing it harder against her head.

"Alright!" Bogo, raising a hoof hand out, felt a sense of fear pass through him as he took another short step forward. "Alright, alright."

"God damn it, James!" Judy spoke in a hushed tone as she continued to stare back at the aged fox. Turning her head forward, her ears raising high in the air, she feared her muffled scream may have alerted any one of the multiple assailants nearby. Looking back over her shoulder, she felt herself being lowered back to the ground by James. "How did you…"

"So what's it going to be, Bogo?" Pyetr, relaxing his grip slightly at Bogo's sudden change, moved the gun gently from her. Unknowingly exposing more of himself, he watched as Bogo slowly began to lower his rifle.

"I'll take option four." Bogo quickly spoke in calm, steady manner, still openly exposed along the factory floor. In one rapid and fluid motion, as he continued to lower his rifle slung across him, he immediately drew his side arm. Raising the gun and firing a single shot, he felt a sudden burning pain erupt along his massive left bicep. Pyetr, slow to react to Bogo's movement, immediately turned the gun on Bogo, firing it as he himself felt a massive burning pain erupt along his midsection.

"Don't worry Judy, no one saw me." James replied quickly, releasing Judy and gazing around one of the small openings into the massive room. "I saw the direction where Anna is heading toward…" Two distant gunshots were suddenly heard coming from the rear factory floor, as the two of them looked worriedly at each other.

"Bogo… Leo!" Judy spoke first, remembering the two prior shots from the back factory floor. Her ears shifting quickly toward the direction of the gunshots, she began to turn back toward the way she had come from.

Grasping her shoulder with one of his paws, James, quickly moved in front of her as he spoke in a hushed voice. "Judy do not lose track of the task at paw. We need to find Anna." Pointing a paw finger in the opposite direction of a connecting storeroom area, he slowly raised the finger to her to follow. "I heard those first two shots earlier also. By the sound of them, I am quite sure Bogo dropped their numbers down by two more."

Bogo, staggering slightly and pressing on his left upper arm, clutched his side arm as he turned to look back at Pyetr. Breathing heavily, his anger building even greater inside of him, he immediately began to lower himself into a slight squatted position. Breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring, he now watched as Pyetr struggled to get up. Pyetr, just off from the pillar were Susan was still held up, pressed an open paw along the right side of his body. Near his stomach, feeling blood begin to cover the underside pads of his paw, his eyes moved slowly back toward a squatted Bogo. Suddenly, at that moment, with a mighty roar, Bogo dropped his side arm to the ground as he burst up from his position. Charging at the artic wolf, Bogo threw his rifle and watched as Pyetr, getting fully back on his rear paws, simply did nothing. Watching the massive form of Bogo advance, Petyr closed his eyes as he felt his body connect with the charging buffalo.

Reaching out and grabbing a hold of Pyetr, Bogo rammed Pyetr's back into the metal rolling table behind him, sending the two of them falling to the floor. Pyetr, powerless to do anything due to the sheer pain from the collision and force of Bogo on top of him, felt as if his whole body went numb. Bogo, the first to get up on his knees, began striking blow after blow across Pyetr's head and face. For nearly two minutes, Bogo, raising Pyetr by the shirt collar, drove his hoof fist across his muzzle. Raising Pyetr's now bloodied face close to his, Bogo, breathing deeply, glaring back at mangled wolf and said, "It's over Pyetr, you and your sister are done." Reaching back as far as he could, he brought his fist hard across the wolf's face one final time as Pyetr's body went limp beneath him.

Staggering to his own feet, Bogo, turning around and steadying himself as he reached over to the nearby rolling table for support, raised his head. Taking a deep breath and lowering his head once again, he turned to look at both Leo and Susan, his injured shoulder still bleeding. "I'm getting too old for this." Still staggering slightly over to Leo he began reaching into his side pants pockets, removing a set of cuff pick keys.

Entering one of the smaller supply storage areas just off the main hub, Judy motioned to James who had her rifle clutched in his paws, and drew her side arm. Confirmed by James as the direction in which he had seen Anna go, Judy began scanning the room's interior, stopping at a rear door along its back wall. Fear slowly biting along the back of her neck, Judy suddenly felt a cold breath of air pass along her right cheek. Turning, her gun raised up, she immediately signaled over to James as both knelt down just along the room's threshold. The room, much like the main hub the two had been in just moments before, was full of rotten and decaying wood crates. Suddenly and without warning, Judy, her face turning back toward James, noticed a dark form move suddenly out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes tracing its path, gasping suddenly, she whispered to herself, " _It's going back to the main hub."_ Gently rising slowly to her rear feet and shifting her weight, she leaned her head next to James, her eyes gazing through the open threshold separating the two areas. "James, just stay right here, I'll be back in a minute."

"Judy, wait…what?" James whispered glancing back to her as he, too, rose to his fullest height, shifting his gaze back toward the direction of the main hub. "Judy, we need to move this way."

"I just saw…" Judy, lowering her gun and taking two steps back toward the main hub, turned back to James. "I could have sworn I saw…" Raising her gun once again as she steadied herself, she continued to stare out into the seemingly deserted hub. "I just need to make sure." Judy replied quickly as she gently stepped out, using the wall as cover. "Stay here until I get back." Not allowing James the time to respond to this comment, she took the safety off her weapon and disappeared from James' view. Slowly, cautiously, as she made her way once again along the building's centralized hub, Judy felt an uncontrollable feeling as if she was reliving this exact moment.

Circling the last of the remaining crates scattered along the hub, emerging out into the center of the room, Judy slowly began to approach the deceased body of Harper. Her face showing exhaustion due to fear and lack of sleep, she felt an unknown chill cross along her spine as her eyes examined Harper's remains. Lowering herself down as she raised her gaze up and along the open area quickly, she turned back to the deceased mammal.

 _Clank!_

Judy, her head shooting up, began to turn rapidly around the room, her breathing becoming short and erratic. Rising to her fullest height, she began to struggle with herself as her composure began to break down. "James?" She spoke softly to the seemly empty room, her eyes still moving along the numerous storage crates.

"Hello, Judy." The cold, familiar voice of Anna suddenly spoke from behind her. Judy, the look in her eyes showing complete shock, suddenly turned as she came face to face to the young artic wolf as she held what looked to be a Taser in her right paw. "It's been too long."


	23. Reader Announcement

Hi everyone it's me Ughdar.

I just wanted to take a moment and thank every one of you who are enjoying Protect the Family. I am still working on the next upcoming chapter, but I will be stepping away from it for a few months. This is so I can give myself more time in completing something I have been doing in-between writing this story. To those of you, who have read my first story, Baby on Board, in the coming months I am hoping to post a new updated version of it. It has been on my mind since I started this continuation. I am hoping you all will enjoy it as much as I have improving it.

Thank you all, to my fellow writers, keep up the great work. To you, the countless readers, enjoying the stories and the lives of our characters, thank you even more.

Happy reading!


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